Sure Start is part of the Government's strategy for children and is aimed at giving everyone a good start in life.

Aim:

  • To co-ordinate, streamline and add value to existing services for young families in local communities, including signposting to specialised services to:
  • Involve Parents
  • Avoid Stigma
  • Ensure lasting support
  • Be sensitive to particular families' needs
  • Promote participation of all local families.

The programme consists of a number of projects across Northern Ireland, each of which is targeted at the 0-4 age group in an area of deprivation, measured in terms of the current impact on children's life chances and the shortfall in fulfilling children's potential.

Sure Start projects work with parents and children to promote the physical, intellectual, social and emotional development of children, particularly those who are disadvantaged to make sure they are ready to make the most of opportunities when they go to school.

All the evidence shows that early intervention and support can help to reduce family breakdown strengthen children's readiness for school; and benefit society in the longer term by preventing social exclusion, regenerating communities and reducing crime.

In addition to Core Services within The Dry Arch Centre, Sure Start will also provide,

Additional childcare provision:

Conclusion
Surestart represents a unique approach to early intervention for children aged 0-4, their families and the communities in which they live. Rather than providing one specific service, the Sure Start initiative represents an effort to change and add to existing services.

This is to be achieved by reshaping, enhancing and adding value to existing, as well as providing value to existing services, as well as providing new initiatives and also by increasing and improving co-ordination between agencies. The desired outcome of this effort is the enhancement of child, family and community functioning.

Sure Start will be the subject of long-term evaluation so that firm conclusions can be drawn about its effectiveness. Evaluation is necessary to know whether services are succeeding in their objectives and to discover which aspects of the way they function are contributing to, or detracting from that success.