Sure Start Children's Centres: time to make them better known.
Health services have traditionally been available to local communities through general practices, health visitors and midwives. Since the introduction of the Sure Start Local programme in 1997 and Sure Start Children's Centres in 2004, an increasing number of children's centres are working with their local NHS to provide health services for the under fives, and improve the accessibility of these services to local families. Sure Start Children's Centres were set up in England as part of the Department for Children, Schools and Families' Children's Plan to improve outcomes for children and their families and contribute to the strategic objectives of Every Child Matters. Children's centres offer a range of integrated services from child health and maternity services to parenting and childcare provisions. They also deliver key health promotion activities and programmes that contribute to the public health priorities of Primary Care Trusts, e.g. breast-feeding, smoking in pregnancy, physical activity and healthy eating. There are now 3,500 children's centres offering easily accessible services to more than 2.4 million children and families across England. Health professionals are asked work proactively together to raise awareness of these among local communities so that more families can benefit from the services they offer.
Thompson
Christine
C
Milton Keynes Community Health Services, Milton Keynes Primary Care Trust, Milton Keynes.
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002662:Child Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D003151:Community Health Centers / Q000458:organization & administration*; D003256:Community Participation; D019033:Delivery of Health Care, Integrated; D004739:England; D005260:Female; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008389:Marketing of Health Services; D008427:Maternal Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D011247:Pregnancy