Sure Start

 ‘Keeping Wirral children and young people safe and improving their life chances’

   is safe with the Conservatives and to show our commitment, the Leader of the Council, Jeff Green, appointed me as Wirral’s first Sure Start Champion in June 2010 – I report directly to him.

 

March 4, 2011:  Visited Liscard Sure Start Centre with Leader of the Council, Jeff Green and media for interview on the Politics Show.

March 1, 2011: Spoke at Budget Council in support of the extra funding the Conservative-led coalition has made available for Sure Start.

February 22, 2011:  Yesterday afternoon I visited St Werberghs Sure Start Centre with the Leader of the Council, Jeff Green to break the news about the extra funding of £2,000 per centre and the £700,000 earmarked to protect Sure Start in Wirral.

February 22, 2011:  Wirral Council puts more money into supporting Sure Start Children’s Centres.

‘Wirral Council underlined its commitment to supporting the borough’s most vulnerable children and families by safeguarding Sure Start Family Centres in its new budget.  Last night at Wallasey Town Hall, Wirral Council earmarked £700,000 to protect, promote and enhance the centres.  In addition, each centre will receive £2,000 each for new equipment and activities.’

‘Other proposals for children and young people in last night’s budget included:

• An extra £1m to supplement the new national ‘Early Intervention Grant’
• £300,000 to be spent with a range of partners from across the Community, Voluntary and Faith sectors to support and raise the aspirations of disabled children.
• £10,000 to develop a Wirral-wide action plan to help lift families and children out of poverty.
• £130,000 to fund an increase in foster care allowances.
• £20,000 to the Children in Care Council to support children in care in Wirral.
• £87,000 towards helping homeless teenagers with complex and vulnerable needs.
• £50,000 to create a new ‘youth hub’ in Birkenhead.’

January 10, 2011:  All Wirral children have access to a Children’s Centre.

‘The Council has now finished building all the borough’s Children’s Centres so that every child in Wirral has access to a centre.  There are now 16 full centres and three satellite centres working across Wirral for the 18,500 under-fives currently living here.

More than 3,000 families – a total of 5,800 adults and children – used the centres’ services between October and December last year.  Each Centre offers a range of services, including ante-natal and post-natal care, healthy living, early communication groups, parenting and 1:1 family support in the home, many also offer child care and all of them have parents and local residents involved in planning services. 

Centres also work with other organisations like the neonatal ward at Arrowe Park Hospital, local schools, early years services and the midwifery shop in Birkenhead.’

November 25, 2010:  Investment in Sure Start. 

‘Cabinet agreed to £69,000 invested in early years and to help provide the free places for three and four year olds.

Last month, the Coalition Government announced that two year olds eligible for free school meals will also soon be eligible for free pre-schooling – giving even more children in Wirral the chance to achieve their full potential.  Locally, I’m hoping Wirral receives its fair share of the 4,200 extra Sure Start health visitors will be in Wirral.

November 23, 2010:  Meeting with Leader of the Council, Jeff Green to discuss and report back what staff and parents have been saying to me during my meetings with them.

June to November, 2010:  Visited Sure Start Centres across Wirral.

June 10, 2010:  Appointed Wirral’s first ever Sure Start Champion.