Speaking at one of the new PM Direct meetings in Manchester, Mr Cameron said, 'We have got to try to make sure we are focusing on the people who need help the most. There is criticism sometimes with Sure Start that a great new centre is established and the "sharp-elbowed" middle classes, like my wife and me, get in there and get all the services.
'We need to make sure the money will be helping the people whose disadvantage is greatest. It can't just be a service that everyone can jump into and get advantage out of.'
But leading voices in the early years sector disagree and are calling for Sure Start to remain universal.
A campaign called Shout Out for a Sure Start, in support of continued funding, is being run by 4Children. Its direcor of public affairs, Claire McCarthy, said, 'We agree with David Cameron that children's centres must do all they can to reach out to families who would benefit most from their services. But there are strong benefits to maintaining the universal base for Sure Start, and 4Children is making this argument to Government in the runup to the spending review.'
Findings from EPPE research published by the DCSF in 2008 found that children from disadvantaged backgrounds did better in centres where there was a mix of children from different social backgrounds.
Michael Pettaval, head of Randolph Beresford Early Years Centre in west London, said, 'The guiding aim of our Sure Start centre is to support and strengthen the community and promote community cohesion. We have a very wide community, with 30 different cultures and 22 different languages. Our aim is to make sure we increase understanding and tolerance among neighbours. What we do not want to end up with is centres isolated in council estates where there is a stigma attached, as participation identifies you as "poor" or "needy".'
He added, 'When a child comes in with a lower speaking level - say, English is their second language - we find the more confident talkers help to drive forward a higher level. Individual centres have a responsibility for ensuring that directed funding for children in need is well spent and families in a position to pay for services are asked to contribute, not always financially but sometimes by supporting their communities.'
