Sure Start becomes Flying Start
Launched seven years ago to give children up to four years of
age and their families the best possible start in life, the Sure
Start project is saying goodbye in the Vale of Glamorgan.
However, it's not really an end but a new beginning because Sure
Start has been subsumed into Flying Start, which is a new Welsh
Assembly Government initiative being delivered through the Vale
Children and Young People's Framework and involving the Vale
Council's education and children's services departments, Vale Local
Health Board, Cardiff and Vale NHS Trust and NCH from the voluntary
sector.
Sure Start, with its multi disciplinary/agency team who have
worked with families in an holistic manner, has hosted a farewell
and thank you party for more than 200 volunteers, children and
parents. The entertainment at Barry Memorial Hall included clowns,
Uncle Bob's Balloons, a bouncy castle and disco.
A £1m Assembly grant is being used by the Vale Partnership to
launch Flying Start which will target just under 600 children up to
four years of age and will be concentrated on the catchment areas
for Jenner Park, Cadoxton and Oak Field schools.
Each of the children will be offered:
• Quality free part-time childcare for two to three year
olds
• Intensive health visiting/health support
• Parenting programmes and support
• Basic skills for adults and children
The new team will be based in the old Sure Start building in
Skomer Road, Barry, until a new family centre, which has already
been designed, is operational.
Exciting and busy times are ahead for the team, with an
additional 17 new members of staff to be employed.
Any queries, please telephone Flying Start Project Manager
Antonia Bridges on (01446) 732180.