Opinion: To the Point - Don't cut Sure Start
Katherine Rake, chief executive of the Family and Parenting Institute
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
A raft of rather depressing stories about increasing levels of inequality in Britain, particularly affecting under-fives, has been seen in the past month.
Save the Children reported that its resesrch shows the number of UK children living in 'severe poverty' rose in the four years before the recession, while the Audit Commission has found that children under five living in deprived areas have a significantly 'higher risk of poor health'.
The DCSF has also reported that disadvantaged families in the UK are failing to access childcare even when it is free. The Government says part of the problem is that families often don't know what benefits they are entitled to.
This is where Sure Start centres should play a part. However, the Audit Commission found many parents from vulnerable groups were not using Sure Start because they were either unaware of the service or they found the attitude of the staff off-putting or too judgmental.
Sure Start's role was developed to intervene early so that poorer children did not start school with a disadvantage. But this is a complex issue, and these latest reports show that there is still a long way to go. It also shows how difficult it is for workers to engage with vulnerable families, encourage them in to centres and offer access to further help and support.
And there is no doubt that it is going to get increasingly difficult. The impending budget constraints are forcing cutbacks to all services, especially childcare. There are signs that local authorities are beginning to reduce the amount of childcare services they offer. This puts added pressure on nurseries to not only provide good quality childcare, but also tackle inequality.
The major political parties have pledged their support to Sure Start, with the Conservatives promising to target services on the most vulnerable and increase the number of health visitors. The Government, on the other hand, is committed to increasing the number of centres and outreach workers for the most vulnerable.
Everyone now recognises that Sure Start is key to turning around the long-term cycle of disadvantage, and that focusing on early years is incredibly important. We have to hope that with rounds of public spending cuts coming, this is given priority and not seen as an easy target.
