Schools, early years and childcare

The Department for Education and Skills (DfES) Five Year Strategy says:

“SureStart Children’s Centres are one-stop-shops for parents and children, offering early education and childcare, family support, health services, employment advice and specialist support on a single site, with easy access for parents and easy referral between services, so that the provision is seamless. Ante- and post-natal care will be linked to Children’s Centres and each family will be supported by a team of midwives and health visitors linked to the Centre. Children’s Centres will also provide outreach work to support those children and families who are unwilling or unable to access centre-based services.

All Centres will also offer early years education and childcare – mostly on site but some through networks. They will be the place to go to find out about different types of childcare locally and will increasingly act as a contact point for networks of childminders and nurseries, so parents can match themselves up with a childminder who is nearby and suits them. Parents will also be able to get information in Children’s Centres about a wide range of other services for children – for example, about local play facilities”.

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