SureStart For Chafford Children's Centres

Chafford Hundred's Beacon Children's Centre is one of the latest centres to receive the SureStart designation. It was awarded by Together for Children, the agency incharge of national implementation of the SureStart centres.

It is also joint first in East Anlia to achieve the Phase 3 status. Recognised as a centre that offers a core range of services and is open for a minimum of five days a week, ten hours a day and 48 weeks of the year.

The Centre provides quality childcare and education facilities to young families. These services, which are available for children, from birth to five years, and their families include: childminder support; family support and parental outreach; child and family health services; employment support, through links with the local Jobcentre Plus and Thurrock Adult Community College, and integrated education and childcare.

Phase 3 is the final stage of development of SureStart Children's Centres which aims to provide every community across the borough with access to children's centre facilities by March 2010.

Cabinet member for Children's Services, Cllr Sue MacPherson, said: "This is a huge achievement for Thurrock. Thanks to everyone involved for your hard work in establishing these wonderful centres to meet the needs of our local community.

"With three more children centres expected within the next year, Thurrock is successfully providing our young children and their families with access to an affordable, flexible and high-quality childcare and education facilities enabling them to have the best start or opportunities in life."

Thurrock Council is managing the delivery of the children's centres in consultation with parents, the private, voluntary and independent groups, the Primary Care Trust, Jobcentre Plus and other key partners.