1. 16 Sept IPPR
Presentation name

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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

11. 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