07 March 2008
More needs to be done to help children in poor communities, Children, Schools and Families Secretary Ed Balls has admitted.
Speaking at the first National Conference for Children's Centre Leaders, Balls announced an extra £7m over the next three years to train an extra 5,000 Sure Start practitioners to help extend the government scheme.
Outlining the results of the report into the effectiveness of Sure Start centres on March 4, Balls said: 'Parents bring up children, not the government — and this research shows that Sure Start centres can help parents give their children the best start in life.
'I want to make sure all families can benefit — which is why we are putting in place a package of measures, backed up with funding and new outreach workers, to reach out to the most disadvantaged families.'
The new Sure Start measures also include:
- two extra outreach workers at each centre in the 1,500 most disadvantaged areas;
- a review of outreach work to clarify best practice;
- new guidance to help centres work with ethnic minority families.
PFmar2008
