Sure Start Children’s Centers Benefit Analysis
Sure Start Children’s Centers are encouraged to find ways to save £2 for every pound spent, according to the Institute for Financial Research (IFS). They are also asked to explore which services the government might fund directly.
An IFS survey highlighted that the last center funded by the previous labor government produced £2.8 billion in both savings and revenue during the peak of the initiative in the UK.
Sarah Kattan, a researcher at IFS and one of the authors of the analysis, noted that the benefits to both the government and individuals were significant.
The IFS found that the overall impact of Sure Start is quite broad and, interestingly, has proven to be long-lasting. This has led to improvements in health, education, and social care outcomes for families involved in the program, which supports children up to the age of five.
Since its inception in 1999, Sure Start has been a pioneer in offering a “one-stop shop” for services in underprivileged areas, combining childhood, health, and family support services in one location. It has often been regarded as one of the most effective social policies of the new labor era.
However, the program faced dismantlement after a conservative-led government came into power in 2010. At its highest point in 2009-10, there were 3,600 Sure Start centers across the UK. Subsequently, austerity measures trimmed government funding by two-thirds, leading many local governments to close down centers entirely by 2018.
When examining children born in the 1990s and 2000s, the IFS showed that health and education outcomes improved, including unexpectedly better GCSE results, reduced school absenteeism, and lower rates of special educational needs and disabilities.
Nick Ridpas, a research economist at IFS and another author of the report, mentioned that these benefits are crucial, not only for those directly involved but also for generating public savings and increasing revenue over a person’s lifetime.
At its peak, running costs for Sure Start were approximately £2.7 billion annually, based on current 2023 to 2024 prices. The IFS estimated that the government gained £600 million each year from reduced health and social care costs, along with £1.9 billion in extra income tax and national insurance revenue.
Additionally, IFS reported that the program produced an extra £3.1 billion for each cohort that participated in the center.
Neil Retch, CEO of the Early Alliance, commented, “There’s been considerable effort put into this initiative. As the IFS rightly points out, integrated early support not only helps children access necessary services but also positively influences society over time.”
Researchers cautioned that Sure Start isn’t a “cure-all” solution, acknowledging that it cannot fully address all the challenges children and young people face. They did emphasize that it has made a noteworthy impact, particularly in reducing the number of children in council care, though it hasn’t lessened the need for additional support for children with more severe special needs.
