Benefits to children’s health
By Sarah Cattan, Gabriella Conti, Christine Farquharson and Rita Ginja
Sure Start brought together services, including education, childcare and support for parents wanting to work. But one of the main goals was improving health. Our research looks at the impacts that Sure Start had on children’s health during their primary school years from its start in 1999 and its peak in the late 2000s.
Big benefits for health
We find that Sure Start had big health benefits. Increasing children’s access to Sure Start by adding an extra centre per 1,000 under-fives (about its peak coverage in 2010) reduces hospitalisations at age 11 by 18 per cent of their pre-Sure Start level. That’s equivalent to preventing around 5,500 hospitalisations of 11-year-olds annually.
Register now to continue reading
Thank you for visiting Nursery World and making use of our archive of more than 35,000 expert features, subject guides, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:
What's included
-
Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month
-
Unlimited access to news and opinion
-
Email newsletter providing activity ideas, best practice and breaking news
Already have an account? Sign in here
