Opinion: The Minister's view - A time for all centres to blow their own trumpet

In May, we celebrated the 3,000th Sure Start Children's Centre, with ministers from across Government visiting children's centres around the country. I took part in the celebration in my previous capacity as health minister and have been hugely impressed by the quality of integrated services being offered.

I am really grateful to local authorities and Children's Trust partners for their commitment in driving forward children's centre designations, and in ensuring that they move to delivering their full range of services within two years of designation. Twenty-five local authorities have already achieved 100 per cent of designations across all phases.

I know that you all work hard to ensure that all families, particularly the most disadvantaged, know what services are available to them locally. In the coming months, we hope to support this effort by building national awareness of Sure Start Children's Centres. This will be particularly important for us all when children's centres are given a statutory legal basis and established as part of the universal services available for children aged 0-five years old and their families.