Southend SureStart

About SureStart

SureStart 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, education and emotional development for young children

• supporting parents as parents and in their aspirations towards employment.

This will be achieved by:

• helping services develop in disadvantaged areas alongside financial help for parents to afford childcare
• rolling out the principles driving the SureStart approach to all services for children and parents.

A SureStart for every child:

Children's early years should be enjoyable, secure, but full of fun and challenge. They are a vital time when children develop rapidly - physically, intellectually, emotionally and socially. Children need the best possible start in life, so they can flourish when they go to school and in later years.

To this end SureStart's overall aim is to help provide the best possible start in life for children. It plays a part in the Government's ambition to halve child poverty by 2010. It is also a significant contributor to the Government's aim of delivering opportunity and security for all.

The SureStart Principles:

• working with parents/carers and children
• services for everyone
• flexible at the point of delivery
• starting very early
• respectful and transparent
• community driven and professionally co-ordinated.

Making SureStart work in Southend:

Southend-on-Sea Borough Council is working in partnership with

• Early Education and Childcare Providers
• Children's Centres
• Schools
• Social Care
• Health Services
• Jobcentre Plus
• The Voluntary Sector
• Training Providers

If you have any enquiries about early years services in the Southend-on-Sea Borough then click here for contact details or, alternatively, if you would like information on how to become a SureStart Volunteer, please click here.

Contact Early Years and Childhood Services

If you would like any further information on early education, childcare or family support services please contact us: