Sure Start Challenges

I heard via the radio recently that Sure Start does not appear to be reaching the children and families it needs to be reaching.

Research is indicating that children accessing Sure Start programmes tend to have already received a 'sure start' owing to their family's encouragement.

Apparently it's ethnic minorities and families from low income/deprived groups who are loosing out. They are not taking up Sure Start provision because of low self esteem and not feeling comfortable in the percieved 'middle class' provision that Sure Start might represent. It's these particular groups though that such schemes were primarily designed for.

I know from personal experience that the different schemes in Halton have been beneficial to large numbers of children and families including low income/deprived groups. But perhaps now we ought to be looking at how we can target more the groups that are missing out - this might be happening in Halton I'm not sure.

I remember in the 1970's similar schemes ("Portage" and others) being run in the United States to improve educational attainment/access to community resources for particularly poor black families. They were quite succussful.

A main difference between our Sure Start programmes and these schemes was the focus in the Portage scheme for instance on providing educational and social support within the family's home. It was not so much the throwing of money in the direction of infra structure but more directing such funding to workers/teachers on the ground assisting directly with the family within the family home. Portage also tended to employ people from these communities directly in their programmes

I'm sure both centre focussed and work within families have a role to play but following this latest piece of research on accessibility to Sure Start schemes there seems to be a need for more emphasis to be placed on educational/social help within the family.

The other issue is income levels. If you are in relative poverty you have that much more of an uphill climb in all areas of living. It's obviously important to consider this factor in any attempt at improving educational attainments in low income/socially disadvantaged groups.