Sue Harrop: Early Years and Childcare Strategic Support Manager: Gateshead Council
Chris Hall, Acting Children's Centre Manager: Blaydon and Winlaton Surestart
The Early Years and Childcare Service in Gateshead takes the lead on the Childcare Strategy, SureStart Local Programmes, the Early Excellence Centre, Neighbourhood Nurseries, and the emerging Children's Centres.
Gateshead has four Sure Start programmes which aim to achieve better outcomes for children, parents and communities by:
- Increasing childcare availability
- Improving health, education and emotional development for young children
- Supporting parents in parenting and in their aspirations towards employment
This will be achieved by:
- Helping services develop in disadvantaged areas
- Rolling out the principles of the SureStart approach to all services for parents and children
Chris Hall works in a local SureStart programme in Blaydon/Winlaton. She is currently acting Children's Centre Manager, her original role was as Health Co-ordinator/Health Visitor. Although not a member of the CEHI Steering Group, Chris works closely with Sue Harrop.
"I see the main health challenges for children in Gateshead as those connected with health inequalities. Within Gateshead there are huge inequalities in both health and wealth. SureStart has clear objectives to raise children out of poverty therby improving their life chances; better education, better paid and more secure employment, less children in workless households and good childcare before and after school."
The next stage of the government's strategy to reduce childhood poverty and inequalities, is to develop integrated pre-school services - health, childcare and early years education and family support - delivered in local Children's Centres. The first wave of these are being developed in Gateshead, with all 4 SureStart Local Programmes in the plan for this. The Children's Bill, expected in November, will become the key to future services for all children's services.