Nursery World - Sure Start workers rebut criticisms

Workers at the heart of the Sure Start initiative jumped to its defence last week after a leaked evaluation study found that there were 'virtually no good outcomes for Sure Start children'. Nursery World last week warned practitioners to 'prepare for media onslaught' when the national evaluation of the early impact of Sure Start is published next month.

Nursery World last week warned practitioners to 'prepare for media onslaught' when the national evaluation of the early impact of Sure Start is published next month.

But the debate raged after The Guardian exposed 'doubts' over the value of the Government's flagship 3bn Sure Start programme.

Findings from an independent study by London's Birkbeck College revealed that Sure Start as a whole had failed to boost children's development, language and behaviour, and that teenage mothers in Sure Start areas appear to have done worse.

Among more positive results, it found that Sure Start mothers have demonstrated 'warmer' parenting skills. It is believed that a good impact has been shown for the relatively more affluent of deprived areas.

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