Centre for Research in Early Childhood Integrated ‘Children’s Centres’ in England Chris Pascal & Tony Bertram

Centre for Research in Early Childhood

Integrated ‘Children’s Centres’ in England

Chris Pascal Chris Pascal

& & Tony BertramTony Bertram


Social and Economic Priorities in UK

Thatcher’s period of economic rationalism ensured Thatcher’s period of economic rationalism ensured UK’s economic cycle is different to most of EUUK’s economic cycle is different to most of EU

1997 Blair inherits robust economy but high levels 1997 Blair inherits robust economy but high levels of: of:

Child PovertyChild PovertyInequality & Social ExclusionInequality & Social ExclusionWelfare DependencyWelfare DependencyEducational UnderachievementEducational UnderachievementPoor Health and Well BeingPoor Health and Well Being

Identified as the ‘top level’ social and economic Identified as the ‘top level’ social and economic policy objectives.policy objectives.


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

Experimentation and InnovationIntroduced four Introduced four targeted targeted innovative programmes to explore innovative programmes to explore and evaluate ideas of integration in action:and evaluate ideas of integration in action:

Early Excellence Centre ProgrammeEarly Excellence Centre Programme Sure Start ProgrammeSure Start Programme Neighbourhood Nursery InitiativeNeighbourhood Nursery Initiative Extended Nursery and Extended Primary SchoolsExtended Nursery and Extended Primary Schools

EPPE Study (Sylva et al 2002, 4, 5), EEC Study (Pascal and EPPE Study (Sylva et al 2002, 4, 5), EEC Study (Pascal and Bertram 2002,3,4): effectiveness& good practice in Bertram 2002,3,4): effectiveness& good practice in integrated services.integrated services.

OECD Report (Bennett, 2000, 2006): commended OECD Report (Bennett, 2000, 2006): commended investment and integrated practice but suggests too many investment and integrated practice but suggests too many initiatives and needs sustained funding.initiatives and needs sustained funding.

A New Legal Framework2004 Children Act & 2006 Childcare Act2004 Children Act & 2006 Childcare Act

first statutory entitlement in England to first statutory entitlement in England to free integrated early education (from 3) free integrated early education (from 3) and childcare (from birth) for all familiesand childcare (from birth) for all families

Root and branch reform of children AND Root and branch reform of children AND family services at every level in England to family services at every level in England to ensure children and young people thrive ensure children and young people thrive within ‘safe’ communitieswithin ‘safe’ communities



Universalisation and Amalgamation

All experimental Programmes to be All experimental Programmes to be integrated with existing provision (state, integrated with existing provision (state, private & voluntary) and universalisedprivate & voluntary) and universalised

Every community in England to have a Every community in England to have a ‘Children’s Centre’‘Children’s Centre’ and/or and/or ‘Extended School’‘Extended School’ by 2010by 2010

More integrated delivery at front line through More integrated delivery at front line through multi-professional teams, including health, multi-professional teams, including health, education and social serviceseducation and social services

Significant, stepped increases in Gov Significant, stepped increases in Gov investmentinvestment


Children’s CentresChildren’s Centres and Extended Schools will Children’s Centres and Extended Schools will provide community based, ‘joined up’ services for provide community based, ‘joined up’ services for children and families, open from dawn to dusk, all children and families, open from dawn to dusk, all year round, to provide as the core, access to:year round, to provide as the core, access to:

•Education integrated with full day care;Education integrated with full day care;•Parenting and family support;Parenting and family support;•Health services;Health services;•Adult training including workforce training;Adult training including workforce training;•Employment advice;Employment advice;•Childminder base and community hub.Childminder base and community hub.


Children’s Centre InfrastructureLocal Authority to be ‘parents’ champion’ and Local Authority to be ‘parents’ champion’ and facilitate seamless, quality integrated services by facilitate seamless, quality integrated services by extending existing state, private and voluntary extending existing state, private and voluntary provision in community-led partnerships (NB provision in community-led partnerships (NB ‘subsidiarity’‘subsidiarity’) )

LocalLocal‘‘Children’s Trusts’Children’s Trusts’ combine existing combine existing Health, Education & Social Services budgets and Health, Education & Social Services budgets and plan, fund and commission integrated services plan, fund and commission integrated services tailored to local needs tailored to local needs

Parents/carers and children to be more closely Parents/carers and children to be more closely involved in design, delivery and management of involved in design, delivery and management of servicesservices


Understanding Integration

•Co-located services are NOT Co-located services are NOT integrated services integrated services

•Services delivered through Services delivered through development of ‘development of ‘multi-professional multi-professional teams’teams’ based in Children’s Centres/ based in Children’s Centres/ Schools Schools

•Services are led by community, Services are led by community, family and children’s needs family and children’s needs


5 Features of Integrated Service

1.1. Shared philosophy, vision, codes of Shared philosophy, vision, codes of practicepractice

2.2. Perception by users of cohesive, Perception by users of cohesive, common servicescommon services

3.3. Perception by multi-professional teams Perception by multi-professional teams of shared identity and purpose of shared identity and purpose

4.4. Commitment by partner providers of Commitment by partner providers of services to pool resourcesservices to pool resources

5.5. Inclusive leadership and management Inclusive leadership and management structure which reflects and supports structure which reflects and supports integrated workingintegrated working

Pascal and Bertram 2004Pascal and Bertram 2004


Some Challenges

1.1. Understanding and agreeing vision – Understanding and agreeing vision – developing leadership developing leadership

2.2. Creating multi-professional teams Creating multi-professional teams through a managed change processthrough a managed change process

3.3. Long term finance and sustainabilityLong term finance and sustainability

4.4. Access and inclusionAccess and inclusion

5.5. Participative practice with children, Participative practice with children, parents and the local communityparents and the local community

Pascal and Bertram 2004Pascal and Bertram 2004


Children’s Centres as Civic Institutions: Citizenship in

Action““There is a set of issues about how we There is a set of issues about how we

develop a community voice into develop a community voice into children’s services. This will fail unless children’s services. This will fail unless we are actively engaging children, their we are actively engaging children, their families and community, and finding families and community, and finding ways which consistently and ways which consistently and imaginatively make people feel they are imaginatively make people feel they are participating in this agenda.”participating in this agenda.”

NCB Evidence to HoC Select Committee, ECM Enquiry, 2005NCB Evidence to HoC Select Committee, ECM Enquiry, 2005


Integration in Action!

Documents

Centre for Research in Early Childhood Integrated ‘Children’s Centres’ in England Chris Pascal & Tony Bertram