11 December 2007

CHILDREN’S PLAN MARKS SIGNIFICANT SHIFT IN SUPPORT FOR FAMILIES

Stafford’s Labour MP David Kidney was in the House of Commons today to hear Secretary of State Ed Balls launch Britain’s first Children’s Plan. This 10-year strategy is significant for the support laid out for all children from birth to adulthood. David Kidney was on hand to ask Ed Balls to confirm that Health Visitors will have a central role in helping young children and their parents:

“I wants parents, young people and community groups in Stafford constituency to come together to take every advantage from the proposals in the Children’s Plan. There are plenty of suggestions to home in on, including nursery places for 2-year olds in areas of deprivation, changes to the curriculum in primary schools (with every pupil learning a foreign language) and more money for youth clubs and play facilities.

“Labour’s Children’s Plan announces £225 million to build or upgrade 3,500 play areas across the country – an average of 23 in every local authority. And £160 million will be available over the next two years for new youth facilities, which will be shaped by young people themselves. Across the country this could mean either 50 new state of the art youth centres, or 500 refurbished centres, or 2,000 smaller scale centres or mobile units.

“And for the youngest children and their families, partners such as NHS and voluntary organisations will be on hand to offer them support when they need it. Ed Balls assured me that Health Visitors will play a vital role in making this happen in local communities.

“I want us make the most of the new investment and make the Children’s Plan a reality in our area.”

Other announcements in the Children’s Plan include more support for families with new measures to help parents take a more active role in their children’s education, Schools moving towards ‘testing when ready’ and more catch-up support for children falling behind.