A new children's centre is being planned with a view to giving youngsters in disadvantaged areas a better start in life.

The Government is set to provide funding amounting to £744,503 over the next three years to establish the centre, which is a new requirement for six wards in Southend - Milton, Victoria, St Luke's, West Shoebury, Shoeburyness and Kursaal.

It is intended that the centre should be largely developed through existing provisions in the town.

These include the Government's Sure Start programme, which brings together early education, childcare and health and family support initiative, the Neighbourhood Nurseries Programme and other local programmes.

The new children's centre will offer:

Early education integrated with childcare

Family support and outreach to parents

Child and family health services.

The centre does not have to be sited in a single specific building, and there are plans to manage it from three locations around the town.

Sally Carr, Southend Council's cabinet member in charge of education, said: "We want to help improve the lives and education of so many young people who don't have the advantages in early life that some of us may take for granted."

Published Monday, June 30, 2003

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