Sure Start Programs - Coursework Example

Sure start programs Introduction Sure start programs in U.K represent a large scale, area based effort in enhancing the health and the development of children who are under 4 years and their families living in the socially deprived communities in England. Due to its great impact, it was later changed to children centers. This was because of the high rate of child poverty in U.K when compared to the rest of Europe. The growing gap between the rich and the poor has been a major concern hence this made the children centers program been a key element in the labor government’s attempt to tackle child poverty and social exclusion. (Hutchings, Daley, Jones et al, 2007) Overview The government launched this program in 2001. The target was that the local programs should be available in 500 socially disadvantaged areas in U.K reaching approximately one-third of all children living in poverty. This program also involved education, training, and employment (EET). The children centers emerged from a comprehensive review of services for the young children and it was chaired by the treasury and one of its most significant features was the attempt to put in to practice the current emphasis on the importance of joined up services for children and services. (Banham 2007). Aims of the children centers The central aim of the sure start was to improve on the health and the wellbeing of families and children that is before and from birth. So, children are ready to flourish when they go to school. It aims at reshaping and adding value to the existing local services for the children and families as well as developing new ones. The services providers in this case work together in a more coordinated way so that families get the range of services they need. The core services include: outreach and home visiting, support for families and parents, support for good quality play, learning and child care experiences for children, primary and community health care, support for children and parent with special needs, skills training for parents, personal development courses among others. In the year 2001, this program was used to employ one full time manager, one and half fulltime midwives and one and half time support workers who were to work specifically with the pregnant teenagers and their partners like home working and working from community venues and institutions. In relation to the government’s role of reducing child poverty in the communities, the initial districts for the this program were selected and this was done according to the areas with more deprivation of resources, the more disadvantaged areas but it was more open to those families residing at the catchment areas. It is overseen by the department of children, schools, and families and also the department of works and pension. This initiative was described by Tony Blair as one of the new labors laws greatest achievements of the year. (Banham 2007). In each project, it was allowed to develop but depending on the expressed wishes of the parents and the guidance of the various organizations heading each project. The policy of choosing volunteers was done at local level. Each child matters proposed a switch from a sure start program to sure start children centers controlled by the local authorities. (Banham, V 2007). History is full of iconic figures that are known to have transformed our world. We read about these heroes on journals, books, watch them on television, and see them celebrated in our newspapers. However, there is still another unknown category of heroes whose stories are silent-“the unsung heroes”. I am talking about the ordinary people who quietly and persistently dedicate their own lives to building a better live and world for their societies. Sure start objective in this case is to provide support and the necessary tools to everyday heroes like these ones who live in a world of dreaming. It allows these people to flourish and continue providing the extraordinary services to their communities (Bowes 2007). Sure start then comes in to address these gaps. These initiatives then accomplish a great deal. This is because people fail to fully utilize the available resources due to lack of awareness as a result of inadequate information or even a gap between these communities and the government. All children centers provide core services of outreach or home visiting: which include family support, support for good quality play, childcare experiences, learning, primary and community healthcare, advice on child and family health, supporting people with social needs among others. It aims at improving services and also creating new ones in small areas with an approximated population of 13,000 people which include approximately 700 children aged 0-3 years. This involved improving learning of teenage mothers and fathers and their children in order to eliminate poverty in many communities, strengthening families and communities and improving emotional and social wellbeing of these communities (Bowes 2007). The following are some of the ways in which the aims could be measured; 30% of the most disadvantaged areas: Integrated early learning and childcare (early year’s provision) for a minimum of 10 hours a day and support for a child minder network, 70% of the least disadvantaged areas which don’t elect in offering early years provision; Drop in the activities for children such as stay and play sessions, Family support and this included both support and advice on parenting, getting information on the services available in the area and how to access specialists, parental outreach and targeted services, Child and family health services e.g. antenatal and post-natal care, getting information and guidance on how to breastfeed, good health and nutrition, speech and language therapy, smoking cessation support and many other specialist support, Links with job center in order to encourage and also support parents and carers who would wish to consider training and employment after they have undergone training in these centers, Reducing the numbers of the teenage mothers smoking during and after pregnancy, Increasing the number o pregnant teenagers to be in contact with the health services so that they could receive the post natal and antenatal facilities from these clinics, Increase identification and support to all teenage mothers with the post natal decisions and finally but not least Increasing the percentage of teenage mothers who report involvement of their family, father, child or any other partner in their Childs upbringing (Bowes 2007). Have the aims been successful? The introduction of the American parenting program by Hutchings J produced encouraging results. In her policy, she made a challenge to the policy makers on the importance of these centers In Wales. The sure start program has been seen as the most effective program in poverty eradication. This is according to a research carried in 2007 by the universities of Wales and Oxford respectively and published in the British medical journal. Looking at the parenting interventions in the sure start programs, in Wales research was carried out in 153 parents form the disadvantaged families and this research showed that a course teaching improved the parenting skills and had great impacts in trying to reduce the problem behavior in most of the young children. This was as a result of the parents been taught to increase positive child behavior through incentives and praise, improving child-parent interaction which had the impact of building their relationship, application of a consistent gentle consequences for any problem behavior and setting clear expectations (Hutchings, Daley, Jones et al, 2007) For example, antisocial behavior in young people is a growing problem in most communities today. You find that around 5-10% of U.K children aged between 5-15 years have this disorder and it is associated with children from the socially disadvantaged areas. If untreated, children with these difficulties develop subsequent conduct disorders which may include violent behaviors’, drug misuse and criminal acts. As a result, it has been found that in years this parenting program is very much effective in reducing the likelihood of children developing the antisocial disorder. This was a research done at the University of Washington funded by the health foundation (Garden 2005). Still, there has been a strong indication on reduced hyperactivity and improvements in self-control among their parents. In the same research, parents were asked about the intensity of problems which they faced when bringing up their children. Those on the program perceived their problem to be less severe 18 months later at the end of the follow up period. This particular study also concluded that there was lessening in parental stress and depression. This clearly shows how effective this program is in helping these young parents. You find that especially in the young mothers who give birth at a young age, most of them undergo stress and depression in the disadvantaged families. These mothers have the problem of been neglected in their own homes. So, with these programs, you find that these people are encouraged and taught on how to take care of their children (Fraser 2001). The potential for Childs behavior is mediated through parent behavior and better parenting skills. This is one of the important tools in trying to bring up a child. It is one among the several possible mechanisms and it can only explain relatively small degree of any behavioral change. Introduced in the wake of Tony Blair 1997 landslide election victory, this program is known to be the UKs flagship prevention program introduced to only the disadvantaged areas. A distinctive element of the sure start which focuses on the pre-scholars living in the disadvantaged areas has been its willingness to allow projects to be developed locally (Fraser 2001). Government’s cuts on centers The governments cutting of funds from the central government to the local authorities will affect approximately 250 centers. This has led to so much fear that these programs by 2011 might close. Michael Gove (2011), the new secretary of state for the children, families and schools in the new conservative and the liberal democrats coalition government in UK in his statement said that these funds have not been protected hence there was no money to continue funding these centers. This has led to parents and their children from the disadvantaged communities to protest against these cuts as it would to poverty in these families. 60,000 families are likely to lose local center as well as job losses as a result of the government’s cuts on these programs. The charities view this act as risking withdrawing crucial support from these disadvantaged families. It was found that children centers and the youth services were worst hit as the government cut down on budget of some of these centers. (Hutchings, Daley, Jones et al, 2007) Conclusion As political administrators change in U.K, very hard questions will be asked about the future of the sure start programs and its successor children centers. The easy answer for this question would be acceptances of the evaluation results and withdraw funding but one Judy Hutchins work will at least make policy makers stop and think. This may even persuade them to invest more on strengthening the existing programs and even try to allocate more time on how the available resources can best be used to reverse the negative trends for the well-being of the disadvantaged children and their parents. The sure start program later changed to children centers is one of the country’s best labor laws which have an impact on the poor. As a result, you find that the less disadvantaged communities are in a position to have a better life through the provision of various services they receive from these centers. Young children from the poor families can get proper health care; they are educated and eventually can get good employment. On the other hand, you also find that they young mothers and fathers from these families can get proper health care, free education, and parenting skills are also achieved. References Banham, V. 2007. Parent-Child Communication and its perceived effects on the young child’s developing self-concept. Melbourne, Vic: Australian institute of family studies. Bowes, J. 2007. Response of parent to parent education and support programs. Canbera, ACT: Department of family and community services Fraser, J.2001. Discipline in schools may provide lessons for families: A Congruence of socially progressive ideas. Canbera, ACT: Academy Press Garden, C. 2005. Enhancing children’s potential. Dunedin, NZ: Children’s Issue Center, pp 237-242 Hutchings J, Daley D, Jones K, et al, 2007. Parenting intervention in sure start programs for children at risk of developing conduct disorder. British medical journal 334; 678-687 Read More