5 October 2006
On a visit to a children’s centre in west London, the PM met with parents, staff and youngsters as he declared "this is what a modern welfare state should do."
Sure Start is aimed at delivering the best start in life for every child.
The centres bring together education and childcare for pre-schoolers, as well as health and family support - all under one roof.
Parents can also get access to training and employment.
Sure Start has already transformed the lives of thousands of mums and dads - by 2010 there will be a Sure Start Children’s Centre for every community, a total of 3500.
The Prime Minister, pictured here on a Sure Start visit earlier this year, said:
"Sure Start is one of the Government’s greatest achievements.
"This is what a modern welfare state should do. Be on the side of people, when they need it - allowing them greater freedom, greater choice and greater power over the things that they want to do. Not a nanny state, but an enabling one."
Mr Blair’s visit coincided with an announcement by Children’s Minister Beverley Hughes that the Government’s roll-out of Sure Start centres had reached the 1000 milestone.
This has given 800,000 small children the opportunity for a better start in life, she said.
In future the centre’s will run a home visiting and outreach programme for parents of all new babies.
Each one will also evaluate the services they provide and make sure they are responsive to the needs of the most disadvantaged groups.
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