Yippee! Sure Start is back under a new name!

We had a Surestart/Childen's centre at the end of my road for many years.

A few months ago it closed and in September will be a private children's nursery.

Seems this has come too late for young families in my community...

www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cpvj1jr0kz0o

This is the link to the BBC news item.

Think I’ve answered my own question. Seems to be £500m for 1,000 hubs rolled out by 2028. Excellent news!

I remember David Cameron saying that. The centres cater for a very local community. They serve primarily a pram-pushing clientele. Those who can’t walk to them don’t use them but those living a bit further away and have transport do. Not sure how you get round that.

I'm really pleased to hear this

@Lizziedrip My area has been plagued with young lads, faces covered, riding bikes really fast on & off pavements - a blooming nuisance, particularly to the elderly and children pedestrians.

same here and we have also had an increased police presence and guess what? they have disappeared. What a menace they were and how did it even become 'a thing'

We lost two, due to decreasing or low usage. They reopened under a different heading, but covering a wider range of support issues. DD recommended one of the new centres which was very useful to her re ASC.

We lost three centres of excellence in our area thanks to Austerity. Cameron said they were not reaching families who needed them but being used by families like his 🙈. Not in Blackburn, Bolton, Burnley, Accrington the weren’t, they were reaching vulnerable, hard to reach children. We now have huge numbers of children in care, some of whom could remain at home if effective preventive and support services still existed

Granitanow, I’ve heard Starmer, Jess Phillips and my MP refer to Sure Start as one of the best things the Blair government did
David Blunket often mentions it

Yes, Yippee but I can’t find the policy announcement about how many centres, where and when and whether funded by new money. Please could you give us more details, OP? Thanks

Grantanow

Good that Best/Sure Start is back. Just one example of Blair's achievements most of which were rubbished by Corbyn but why don't we hear about it? I've not heard one Labour Minister mention it when being interviewed - they do need to start telling the good stories repeatedly. Good policies alone are not enough to sway voters.

It never went completely.

Doodledog I understand. However this labour government seems to be focusing on England at the expense to Scotland so far. Our refinery is being closed but one in England is being taken into public ownership. That sort of thing. Sure start is excellent and I would hope the Scottish government will follow suit

LizzieDrip

^500 towns benefit from Safer Streets with increased police patrols and local action to tackle anti social behaviour and crime^

Slightly off the OP but worth commenting on because it’s something that is actually happening.

My area has been plagued with young lads, faces covered, riding bikes really fast on & off pavements - a blooming nuisance, particularly to the elderly and children pedestrians.

This past few weeks, I’ve noticed increased police cars just driving round, and police officers actually walking the streets - chatting to folk.

Initially I thought something was afoot but apparently it’s part of the Safer Streets initiative.

Guess what, hardly any ‘balaclavad’ lads on bikes around now. What a difference!

It’s brilliant✔️✔️✔️

Wonderful. Seems safer nearest here as well.

There were 2,204 Sure Start Centres still up and running as of 2023 down from 3,620 in 2010.

I will be interested to see how many new ones the Government is going to fund.

Good that Best/Sure Start is back. Just one example of Blair's achievements most of which were rubbished by Corbyn but why don't we hear about it? I've not heard one Labour Minister mention it when being interviewed - they do need to start telling the good stories repeatedly. Good policies alone are not enough to sway voters.

Grandmabatty

It is a bit annoying that Scotland doesn't count really. I find that disappointing.

Scotland does count, but as it has a devolved parliament that prioritises other things it is not included in English policies. The English are told that when we wonder about free prescriptions, social care and education - nobody can have it all ways.

Thanks Iam64, I’d like to see some rough timescales and am concerned about the skills shortages across the board, particularly in the NHS and construction.
However, I’ll be following with interest and am hopeful.

One stop hubs supporting children and parents have been in existence for a long time. I should know, since I spent a great deal of time advertising them, promoting them and providing information about them on our school website.

Pleased the safer streets is working for you LizzieDrip

GrannyGravy13

When these additional sure start centres are up and running is the time to celebrate.

So many things promised by Governments (regardless of party) never come to fruition, or if they do it’s usually a lot less than promised.

I am just so cynical about politicians and their promises/pledges…

… which is why I wanted to share the news about a promise that has come to fruition and is actually happening, in my area anyway

When these additional sure start centres are up and running is the time to celebrate.

So many things promised by Governments (regardless of party) never come to fruition, or if they do it’s usually a lot less than promised.

I am just so cynical about politicians and their promises/pledges…

500 towns benefit from Safer Streets with increased police patrols and local action to tackle anti social behaviour and crime

Slightly off the OP but worth commenting on because it’s something that is actually happening.

My area has been plagued with young lads, faces covered, riding bikes really fast on & off pavements - a blooming nuisance, particularly to the elderly and children pedestrians.

This past few weeks, I’ve noticed increased police cars just driving round, and police officers actually walking the streets - chatting to folk.

Initially I thought something was afoot but apparently it’s part of the Safer Streets initiative.

Guess what, hardly any ‘balaclavad’ lads on bikes around now. What a difference!

It’s brilliant✔️✔️✔️

It is a bit annoying that Scotland doesn't count really. I find that disappointing.

Excellent news.

Sure start and pupil premium ( not labour I know ) were the best things ever to be done for deprived children.

Allira

It sounds promised but are some of these for England only (again!)?

More or less all of its England (some will apply to Wales, most not to Scotland).
GovUK have extrapolated the projected 45000 wind jobs from figures based on Scottish wind farms and just applied it to England too.

Hooray!
Some of us have been rooting for this for a long time.
🥳