What we do

Sure Start is the Government’s programme to deliver the best start in life for every child by bringing together early education, childcare, health and family support.

The Early Years, Extended Schools and Special Needs Group, within the Department for Children, Schools and Families, is responsible for delivering Sure Start.

Sure Start covers a wide range of programmes both universal and those targeted on particular local areas or disadvantaged groups within England.

Responsibility for early education and childcare issues lies with the devolved administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Integrated Early Years Services

For some time we have been encouraging the delivery of childcare alongside early education and other health and family services.

Sure Start Children’s Centres

Sure Start Children’s Centres are building on existing successful initiatives like Sure Start Local Programmes, Neighbourhood Nurseries and Early Excellence Centres, and bringing high-quality integrated early years services to the heart of communities.

Our target of 2,500 children’s centres was reached in early March 2008, and 2,907 centres have now been established (June 2008), offering services to over 2.2 million young children and their families.

By 2010, the number of children's centres will increase to 3,500 - so every family has easy access to high-quality integrated services in their community and the benefits of Sure Start can be felt nationwide. For more information see our Children’s Centres section.

Early Education

All 3- and 4-year-olds are now guaranteed a free, part-time (12½ hours per week, 38 weeks per year), early-education place. There are over 37,000 settings delivering free, Government-funded, early education in the maintained, private, voluntary and independent sectors. For more information, see Early Education Places.

For more on raising the quality of learning and development opportunities for children from birth to five years, and giving children the best possible start to their learning journey, see Birth to Three Matters Framework and Foundation Stage.

Childcare

In March 2008, the stock of registered childcare stood at more than 1.29 million places (more than double the 1997 level). See Looking for Childcare for more information on childcare options.

There will be a childcare place for all children aged between 3 and 14, between the hours of 8am to 6pm each weekday by 2010, when there will be over 2 million sustainable childcare places for children up to 14. For more information, see Extended Schools.