Study shows Sure Start centres effective at reaching vulnerable families

The charity looked at recent Ofsted reports into the effectiveness of centres’ outreach work in supporting vulnerable families. Inspectors found that just one in 10 was not effective, compared to 57 per cent gaining "highly positive" feedback and 32 per cent labelled as "adequate".

4Children is using the findings as part of its campaign to urge the government not to cut funding for Sure Start in the forthcoming comprehensive spending review.

David Cameron has already suggested that Sure Start could be scaled back from offering a universal service to all families to focusing only on the poorest. Last month he said that too often services are monopolised by "sharp-elbowed middle-classes".

Anne Longfield, chief executive of 4Children, said: "It is important that myths about middle-class families monopolising Sure Start are not used to justify cutting back on the important support they provide to families across the country."

4Children has also carried out a survey into public attitudes to Sure Start, as part of its ongoing Family Commission research project into family life. This found that one in four people is concerned about Sure Start services being cut.