Impact of children's centres

The National Evaluation of Sure Start have released a report on the impact of Sure Start Local Programmes (SSLP) by contrasting the areas served against similar areas not served by a Sure Start.

- Parents of three-year-old children showed less negative parenting while providing their children with a better home learning environment.

- Three-year-old children in SSLP areas had better social development with higher levels of positive social behaviour and independence/self-regulation than children in similar areas not having a SSLP.

- The SSLP effects for positive social behaviour appeared to be a consequence of the SSLP benefits upon parenting (i.e., SSLP -> Parenting -> Child).

- Three-year-old children in SSLP areas had higher immunisation rates and fewer accidental injuries than children in similar areas not having a SSLP; it is possible that instead of reflecting positive effects of SSLPs these health-related benefits could have been a result of differences in when measurements were taken of children living in SSLP areas and those living elsewhere.

- Families living in SSLP areas used more child- and family-related services than those living elsewhere.

- The effects associated with SSLPs appeared to apply to all of the resident population, rather than suggesting positive and negative effects for different subgroups as detected in the earlier (2005) report.

- The more consistent benefits associated with SSLPs in the current study compared with the earlier study may well reflect the greater exposure of children and families to better organised and more effective services, as SSLPs have matured over time, though it remains possible that differences in research design across the two studies could also be responsible.