§ A strong early start for children is vital to longer term educational success, particularly for children from poorer backgrounds. And a sound educational start in life is the best foundation from which to lift children out of poverty. We have already announced that the new, expanded Sure Start Unit will transform childcare, early years education and family and health support services with total funds, including Education Formula Spending (EPS), of £850/1223/1510 million over the three years to 2005–06. By that year, this represents over a third more than was available for 2002–03. These sums will be supplemented by using £203/103/129 million of accumulated End Year Flexibility from Sure Start programmes.
§ Some 50 per cent. of the total budget each year (£620/689/788 million) is already earmarked to go direct to local authorities in support of this work. I can now set out in some detail how that resource will be invested.
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- (a) Nursery Education 104 words c69WS
- (b) Disadvantaged Areas 106 words cc69-70WS
- (c) Other childcare places and support funding 94 words c70WS
- (d) Training and workforce development 95 words c70WS
- (e) Central Support 98 words