The Government has announced substantial investment in children’s centres as part of a new plan for childcare and early years services over the next decade. The extra funding will support the expansion of childcare places across the country, with enhanced services to be provided for children, including to improve the life chances of those from disadvantaged backgrounds. The funding is combined with reforms to central and local structures.

The plans for childcare in the spending review aim to:

– support the integration of good quality childcare with early years education, family support and health services through the creation of children’s centres in disadvantaged areas, building on the good practice that exists in Sure Start and Early Excellence Centres. By March 2006, an additional 300,000 children and their parents will have access to health, education and other services through children’s centres. The Government’s longer term aim is to establish a children’s centre in every one of the 20 per cent most disadvantaged wards.

– ensure that 250,000 childcare places are created by 2006 including in children’s centres, in order to progress towards the Government’s longer term vision of every parent being able to access affordable, good quality childcare.

The national childcare charity Daycare Trust warmly welcomed the spending review’s commitment to developing children’s centres as “very good news for children and parents which will help create a more family friendly Britain and support the Government’s drive to improve education and end child poverty”.

In ‘Time for Children’s Centres’, a report published earlier this month, Daycare Trust called for childcare to become a new public service to meet the needs of all children and families in 21st century Britain.

The Government’s review of childcare policy has laid out plans for childcare in 2010. These are backed by new resources from the spending review. Stephen Burke, Director of Daycare Trust, said: “Children’s centres are an idea whose time has come. Children’s centres in every community will be an investment in all our futures. Childcare for all is key to building a modern Britain. Our children deserve nothing less. The Government’s review of childcare has provided a once in a lifetime opportunity to set a vision for childcare for all children and parents who want and need it. The Government has seized the opportunity so that we can begin to catch up with the rest of Europe. The Government’s ambition and extra resources must now been turned into a better future for all children.”