Sure Start Evaluation: Sure Start gains praise
Three-year-olds and their families gain positive benefits from living in areas with a Sure Start local programme, the latest findings from the National Evaluation of Sure Start have shown.
The Department for Children, Schools and Families said the report's findings were more positive than the 2005 evaluation. This was attributed to the effort put in by local areas and the policy and support put in place by Government.
The DCSF said it expected the positive trend to continue, and that while improvements could be down to the fact that services have been in place longer, improvements since the 2005 study could also be due to differences in the way the research was carried out.
The report highlighted the change from SSLPs to children's centres, 'which have more clearly focused services with better guidance available'.
The researchers said children in SSLP areas showed more positive social behaviour and greater independence. They were also more likely to have been given the recommended immunisations and less likely to have had an accidental injury in the previous year. However, the report said the latter two outcomes could be the result of factors other than Sure Start.
Parents in SSLP areas were found to provide better home learning environments and less negative parenting, and reported more use of support services. The effects for positive social behaviour seemed to be a consequence of SSLP benefits on parenting.
Children's minister Beverly Hughes launched the latest report on Tuesday at the first national conference for Sure Start Children's Centre leaders at London's Royal Festival Hall.
The 2,000th Sure Start children's centre opened last month.
