Sure Start children’s centres serving communities in the most disadvantaged areas must include, as part of their offer to parents, integrated full day care and early learning places for children under five. In many cases, this will build on existing provision, like Sure Start Local programmes or Neighbourhood Nurseries. 58 per cent. of children's centres have child care provided by the private, voluntary or independent sectors. In less disadvantaged areas, if existing provision is meeting parents' needs centres will simply provide parents with advice and information about local child care options.
In planning their children's centres, local authorities must consult with existing private, voluntary and independent child care providers to determine the best way of ensuring parents have access to sufficient, good quality provision. In addition, from October this year, the Childcare Act 2008 will place a restriction on local authorities providing child care where there are alternative and appropriate means of delivery available in the market.
The assessments of child care sufficiency that local authorities are required to complete by April 2008 can be expected to give a clear indication of how child care provided by Sure Start children's centres fits with other child care in their areas. Local authorities will be expected to act in accordance with their assessments when fulfilling the duty to secure, from April 2008, sufficient child care for working parents.