Integrated ‘Children’s Centres’ in England Chris Pascal & Tony Bertram

Social and Economic Priorities in UK Thatcher’s period of economic rationalism ensured UK’s economic cycle is different to most of EU 1997 Blair inherits robust economy but high levels of: Child Poverty Inequality & Social Exclusion Welfare Dependency Educational Underachievement Poor Health and Well Being Identified as the ‘top level’ social and economic policy objectives.

Action from 1997-2006 UK’s Early childhood lobby was successful politically in convincing Government of benefits of investing in a national integrated early childhood policy From 1997 Govt experimented by radically extending and reshaping services for children and families in England to provide integrated (education/care plus) and community led service delivery

Experimentation and Innovation Introduced four targeted innovative programmes to explore and evaluate ideas of integration in action: Early Excellence Centre Programme Sure Start Programme Neighbourhood Nursery Initiative Extended Nursery and Extended Primary Schools EPPE Study (Sylva et al 2002, 4, 5), EEC Study (Pascal and Bertram 2002,3,4): effectiveness& good practice in integrated services. OECD Report (Bennett, 2000, 2006): commended investment and integrated practice but suggests too many initiatives and needs sustained funding.

2004 Children Act & 2006 Childcare Act A New Legal Framework 2004 Children Act & 2006 Childcare Act first statutory entitlement in England to free integrated early education (from 3) and childcare (from birth) for all families Root and branch reform of children AND family services at every level in England to ensure children and young people thrive within ‘safe’ communities Centre for Research in Early Childhood

Universalisation and Amalgamation All experimental Programmes to be integrated with existing provision (state, private & voluntary) and universalised Every community in England to have a ‘Children’s Centre’ and/or ‘Extended School’ by 2010 More integrated delivery at front line through multi-professional teams, including health, education and social services Significant, stepped increases in Gov investment

Children’s Centres Children’s Centres and Extended Schools will provide community based, ‘joined up’ services for children and families, open from dawn to dusk, all year round, to provide as the core, access to: Education integrated with full day care; Parenting and family support; Health services; Adult training including workforce training; Employment advice; Childminder base and community hub.

Children’s Centre Infrastructure Local Authority to be ‘parents’ champion’ and facilitate seamless, quality integrated services by extending existing state, private and voluntary provision in community-led partnerships (NB ‘subsidiarity’) Local‘Children’s Trusts’ combine existing Health, Education & Social Services budgets and plan, fund and commission integrated services tailored to local needs Parents/carers and children to be more closely involved in design, delivery and management of services

Understanding Integration Co-located services are NOT integrated services Services delivered through development of ‘multi-professional teams’ based in Children’s Centres/ Schools Services are led by community, family and children’s needs

5 Features of Integrated Service Shared philosophy, vision, codes of practice Perception by users of cohesive, common services Perception by multi-professional teams of shared identity and purpose Commitment by partner providers of services to pool resources Inclusive leadership and management structure which reflects and supports integrated working Pascal and Bertram 2004

Some Challenges Understanding and agreeing vision – developing leadership Creating multi-professional teams through a managed change process Long term finance and sustainability Access and inclusion Participative practice with children, parents and the local community Pascal and Bertram 2004

Children’s Centres as Civic Institutions: Citizenship in Action “There is a set of issues about how we develop a community voice into children’s services. This will fail unless we are actively engaging children, their families and community, and finding ways which consistently and imaginatively make people feel they are participating in this agenda.” NCB Evidence to HoC Select Committee, ECM Enquiry, 2005

Integration in Action!