Senior Labour figures, including former Prime Minister Gordon Brown and three former education ministers, have brought to attention the significant impact of the Sure Start programme on underprivileged children in the UK. Established in 1998, Sure Start aimed to offer comprehensive support by merging early years education with health and family services. Analysis by the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) highlighted that children from low-income families living near Sure Start centres achieved notably higher GCSE results, with the programme showing greater benefits for those participating before 2003. This highlights the long-term advantages of early intervention for children’s academic success.

The discussion on the impact of Sure Start has been complemented by the debate on support for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). The Liberal Democrats, led by Sir Ed Davey, are advocating for a more uniform approach to SEND support across the UK, proposing the introduction of a national champion and a £300 million investment to address disparities in the current system. Recent government data has indicated delays in over half of the Education, Health and Care (EHC) plans, which are vital for providing tailored SEND support, highlighting significant variations in support quality across different councils.

The research from the IFS also pointed out the progressively positive effects of Sure Start on children from low-income backgrounds, particularly those eligible for free school meals and from minority ethnic groups. The programme, most impactful in its early years due to larger budgets and more robust outreach, underscored the potential of early childhood support in reducing the need for more intensive interventions later in life. Despite its successes, funding cuts have led to the closure of many Sure Start centres, raising concerns about the current and future provision of similar services.

The debates over the future of early years support and SEND provision are aligning as critical issues in the lead-up to the upcoming general election, with parties and advocates calling for renewed emphasis and investment in these areas to address both longstanding and post-Covid challenges faced by young children and their families in the UK.