I think Sure Start was a wonderful concept, but found that locally here, they seemed to be addressing the wrong people. I thought they were set up to provide health care, childcare and funding for underpriviledged areas, single mums etc, but our local reps initially started coming into our Toddler Group and telling everyone how wonderful they were, offering courses and generally walking all over our already thriving group, upsetting regular parents who just wanted to get on with playing with their children and socialising. We actually lost business from them, as parents didn't want to be treated as a "captive audience" and lectured about how Sure Start could improve their children's wellbeing, when they were quite happy as it was! The parents already attending the group were not the ones in need of their help, as they obviously had the time, inclination and transport to get to us, rather than the young single mums with no car, family support or money in their pocket, who genuinely needed their help.
I also used to get calls at home, from the same local reps, asking to come 'round and talk to me about the services they offered. I told them in no uncertain terms that I felt the whole point of their organisation was the help those who were stuck at home going 'round the bend with no way out!!!
Our local Sure Start have also set up a children's centre on the school site, which is doing a wonderful job, but is now competition for the limited customer base available in our rural area, and taken custom away from our existing and long running Playgroup. As it is a brand new building and located within the school site, parents seem to think it is the "best" place they can send their children. However, we are winning back a few, who's parents have decided our educationally based sessional care is better for their children than the overall 0-12 full daycare the new centre offers.
I always thought Sure Start was a 10 year project and this must be coming to an end soon. I hope all the lovely new centres they have set-up are being run profitably, as once their funding is no longer available, I fear some may go under through lack of finances and adequate business acumen to keep them going!
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Does Sure Start need changing?
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