Nursery World - Local authorities to pilot payment-by-results in children's centres

Children's centres will be paid according to the take-up of free nursery education among disadvantaged two and three-year-olds, in plans unveiled by children's minister Sarah Teather.

The Department for Education has also launched a consultation on statutory guidance for Sure Start children’s centres.

The draft revised guidance states that local authorities must have sufficient children’s centres to meet the needs of young children and parents in the area, particularly those in most need of support.

A range of measures will be trialled in children’s centres in 26 local authorities, which will reward them for reducing inequalities between children in terms of their development, school readiness and health, as well as improving parenting.

Measures for the payment by results trials are:

increasing school readiness of young children by narrowing the gap in attainment through the EYFS profile, increasing the take-up of the two-year-old entitlement and that of disadvantaged three-year-olds;

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