Speaking at Sure Start’s annual conference in London this week, Chris Barnham, deputy director, Early years Quality and Standards at the DfE, outlined the importance of measuring effectiveness.
‘The network of centres is established and we are past the stage of talking about numbers,’ he said. ‘The challenge now is to make them as effective as possible.
‘The Government wants to be clear on what effectiveness means and the revised statutory guidance will help to clarify children’s centres’ duties. Accountability arrangements will be strengthened but this will be done on a local level, marking a move away from a centrally prescribed model.’
The conference also flagged up the Government’s progress on integrated health and education reviews at the age of two, as part of its Supporting Families in the Foundation Years programme. It believes that integrating health and education reviews will provide a more complete picture of a child’s learning and development, and is currently developing a model with the DH and DfE. This will be tested in 2013, with a consultation in 2014, and roll out in 2015.
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