It is not surprising that heads of centres have in some cases struggled to cope with integrating a complicated set of services and dealing with a raft of new initiatives, especially where such work has not already been a part of the centre's structure. Support from local authorities has also been insufficient.
With 1,700 new children's centres due to be established, it is clear that carefully targeted training will be essential to realise the Government's ambitions for this provision to play a huge part in the national Childcare Strategy and in alleviating the effects of child poverty.
There is scant training available for early years managers in general, let alone for the particular demands of running integrated services, although the Pen Green Leadership Development Centre will be launching a pilot course called the National Professional Qualification in Integrated Centre Leadership this September.
Local education authorities' role in supporting those in the front line must also be clarified and enhanced.
