Nursery World - Not so sure a start

While it is meritable that Beverley Hughes MP took time to respond to the article 'Poor show' in Nursery World (Letters, 13 July), her letter still indicates that there is a lack of awareness of what really happens at grass roots level. Our Local Sure Start Programme (LSSP) ran consultation events before a plan was drawn up. These were attended by no more than four or five parents, who were supposedly given the voice of the 450 or so parents covered by the target area. Far more local professionals outnumbered the parents and were more vocal about perceived needs.

Our Local Sure Start Programme (LSSP) ran consultation events before a plan was drawn up. These were attended by no more than four or five parents, who were supposedly given the voice of the 450 or so parents covered by the target area. Far more local professionals outnumbered the parents and were more vocal about perceived needs.

The hard-to-reach families in our area are still not being reached. We have direct experience of parents having some of their service withdrawn because the child was diagnosed with an additional need (didn't meet the targets).

Support workers attend review meetings and discuss the financial difficulties of a particular child being covered by Sure Start budgets when the parent is present.

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