16 Sept IPPR Presentation name

Delivering better outcomes for children, families and communities The Sure Start Unit Delivering better outcomes for children, families and communities 16 Sept IPPR Presentation name

What we are here to do To achieve better outcomes for children, families and communities by: Increasing the availability of childcare for all children Improving the health, education and emotional development of young children Supporting parents as parents, and in their aspirations towards employment 16 Sept IPPR

Overarching themes Poverty is bad for children; we need to ameliorate the effects of poverty and reduce the numbers of children living in poverty Quality services that bring together education, health and parenting support, esp in the early years, deliver most gains for poorest children Services for all children need to be sensitised to individual, family and community differences 16 Sept IPPR

New Interdepartmental Unit Jointly accountable to DfES and DWP One lead Minister, Cathy Ashton, working to 2 secretaries of state Cabinet subcommittee oversight, chaired by Public Health Minister, Hazel Blears Maria Eagle, spokesperson in the Commons 16 Sept IPPR

What we are doing All children free nursery education Reform of local delivery infrastructure Reform of regulation After school care in extended schools Poor children Children’s centres Nurseries Local SS programmes Childcare partnership managers 16 Sept IPPR

Early intervention: what does it mean? Age of child at time of service Level of severity of problem, if there is one Prevention and a public health approach Ongoing tensions: all children, poor children, children with ‘problems’ 16 Sept IPPR

Whom do we work with Wants Yes Needs Yes Willing participants Wants no Needs no Leave well enough alone Wants yes Benign neglect Needs yes Assertive outreach 16 Sept IPPR

Factors for success Evidence based practice Doing the right thing Provider attribute and qualities User satisfaction and acceptance of support Participation and involvement Greater sense of control and self esteem 16 Sept IPPR

what we have learned: key principles Working with parents and children Services for everyone, but not the same service Flexible at point of delivery: nuanced to individual and community diversity Starting very early Community driven/professionally informed Outcome driven 16 Sept IPPR

This stuff is hard Cannot do it without money, but money alone does not do it Challenging provider driven cultures Reinventing wheels or adding bespoke hubcaps? Early intervention: prevent problems in the future, or make life better for children now? 16 Sept IPPR