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Dept for Education and Skills

Answer

Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) what activities Sure Start programmes in Sefton are engaging in to increase (a) literacy, (b) speech and (c) language developments; and what results these activities have had; [218864] (2) what services Sure Start programmes in Sefton are engaging in to care for new mothers, with particular reference to (a) post-natal depression clinics and (b) breast feeding groups and what results these services have produced. [218865] Margaret Hodge: There are four Sure Start local programmes in Sefton; Sure Start Litherland, Bootle, Dell and Orvell was approved in 2000; Sure Start Seaforth and Bootle in 2001; Sure Start Southport in 2002 and Sure Start Netherton in 2003. Between them the four programmes provide services to 2,800 children under four and their families living within their catchment areas. The programmes deliver a wide range of services including: training in parenting skills; health services and outreach support to children and families in their own homes. Three of the four programmes have evaluated their activities as follows: Sure Start Litherland, Bootle and Orrell have a `Start Right' group who encourage learning and education through play and group settings. This involves reading, writing, dialogic play and imaginative play. Parents with no concerns about their child's language development increased from 80 per cent. in 2001-02 to 88 per cent. in 2003-04. The community midwife provides breast feeding support sessions at birth, six weeks and 17 weeks. The take up of these sessions has gone up from 20 per cent. in 2002-03 to 23 per cent. in 2003-04 at birth; 4 per cent. to 10 per cent. at six weeks and 2 per cent. to 7 per cent. at 17 weeks. The number of women supported by the post-natal depression group rose from 12 in 2002-03 to 29 in 2003-04. Sure Start Seaforth and Bootle has established a mobile toy library and the early years workers provide practical support around early learning and play. Parents with no concern in relation to language development increased from 77 per cent. in 2001-02 to 79 per cent. in 2003-04. The community midwife provides breast feeding support sessions at birth, six weeks and 17 weeks. The take up of these sessions has gone up from 34.4 per cent. in 2002-03 to 37.9 per cent. in 2003-04 at birth; 8 per cent. to 13.9 per cent. at six weeks and 4 per cent. to 8.6 per cent. at 17 weeks. The number of women supported by post-natal depression group increased from 13 in 2002-03 to 30 women in 2003-04. Sure Start Southport appointed a children's library worker in April 2003 and between June and December 2003, 92 new members joined from the catchment area. Breast feeding and post-natal depression data is not available for this programme. Sure Start Netherton will provide their first report in September 2005. The programmes' funding for the current and future years is as follows: £ _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Revenue Programme name Capital Approved 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 Litherland, Bootle and 1,000,000 675,407 692,293 692,293 Orrell Seaforth and Bootle 825,21 1 770,140 789,393 789,393 Southport 36,500 643,982 660,039 660,039 Netherton 6,000 669,999 682,033 682,033 _________________________________________________________________________________________________. All four programmes are developing into children's centres and will contribute towards achieving our goal of a children's centre for every community by 2010. There are eight neighbourhood nurseries in the most disadvantaged areas in Sefton providing 291 affordable childcare places to families living there.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

432 c860-1W;432 c860-2W; 218864;218865

Session

2004-05

Subjects

Breastfeeding Merseyside Standards Research Sure Start programme Communication skills Literacy Sefton Postnatal depression

Contains statistics

Yes

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk