pdf [5.3MB] - Department of Families, Housing, Community Services

making this transition. Eligible youths will have been (or are currently in) formal 22informal 23 care.orThe efficacy of the provision of these payments has not been assessed.3.11 SURE STARTProgram services and target groupsSure Start is an early intervention program for children under the age of four and theirfamilies in the UK. Sure Start Local Programs (SSLPs) were established by the UKgovernment with the aim of reducing child poverty and social exclusion (Turnstill et al, 2005),with the first SSLPs commencing in 1999.. The NSW Department of Community Services(DoCS 2006) described the aim of Sure Start as ‘to work with parents-to-be, parents andchildren to enhance FF and promote the physical, intellectual and social development ofbabies and young children, particularly those who are disadvantaged.’ Deprived areas withaverage populations under 13,000 were targeted. As mentioned by Rutter (2006),designated areas were chosen on the basis of evidence of a high rate of deprivation. Theheterogeneity of areas in the UK inevitably meant that there could be significant individualvariation in the degree of disadvantage experienced by families. There could also be anexclusion of seriously disadvantaged families if they lived in areas that were not sodisadvantaged overall.An additional feature in the initial design of the program was that services within SSLPs weredesigned to be universally available, unlike most other early interventions. Additionally, aprescribed curriculum of services was not set for SSLPs. Thus, each SSLP had localautonomy in terms of the creation and improvement of evidence-based services. Asmentioned by Rutter (2006), the rationale behind such an approach was to avoid the rigidityof specified programs, as well as to encourage the feeling of ‘ownership’ of services amongstservice providers.Although SSLPs had sufficient flexibility in service provision, they were expected to providefive core services (Rutter, 2006): outreach and home visiting; support for families and parents; good quality play, learning and childcare; primary and community healthcare including advice about child and family health; and support for children and parents with specialised needs.Research on efficacy – National Evaluation of Sure Start (NESS)The National Evaluation of Sure Start (NESS) was set up to provide rigorous and ongoingevaluation of the SSLPs over a six year period. The main aim of the study is to determinewhether existing services had changed, whether delivered services had improved, and22 Subject of a care and protection order that places them in the care and custody of someone who isn’t theirparent.23 Has an ‘Independent Status’ for Centrelink payments, receiving or have received informal out-of-home careand/or formally or currently be in Indigenous kinship care.88