About us

What Sure Start is here to do

Sure Start is a government programme which aims to achieve better outcomes for children, parents and communities by:

increasing the availability of childcare for all children
improving health and emotional development for young children
supporting parents as parents and in their aspirations towards employment.

How will we achieve our aims?

We will achieve our aims by:

helping services development in disadvantaged areas alongside financial help for parents to afford childcare
rolling out the principles driving the Sure Start approach to all services for children and parents.

Sure Start nationwide

The policies and programmes of Sure Start apply in England only. Responsibility for early education and childcare in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland rests with the separate devolved administrations.