Government must play its part for children’s centres

The Government's response to the Education Select Committee's report on children's centres is disappointing and unclear on the important issue of ensuring standards, warns Action for Children.

Helen Donohoe, director of public policy, at Action for Children said:

'We share the committee's disappointment with the government's response to this key report.

It fails to say how the government will ensure that children's centres are best equipped and held accountable for improving outcomes for children.

It is right that local authorities should run children's centres that meet the needs of children in their area, but the government must play its part by setting an outcomes framework and removing barriers to achieve the best results for children.'

Action for Children is one of the largest providers of children's centres, running 218 centres in England.