Amid concerns over potential public service cuts as a result of current economic situation, Annette Brooke, the Lib Dem children's spokesperson, said the centres are high on her party's list of priorities.
"I feel that for the Liberal Democrats Sure Start centres would be the last point of cutting if the economic situation got even worse," she said at a fringe meeting at the party's conference in Bournemouth.
"We are 100 per cent behind the concept of children's centres and the fact they should be offering a whole range of services on one site."
She added that a Lib Dem pledge to offer 20 hours of free childcare each week for children over the age of 18 months could act as a "lever" to get parents to use Sure Start centres.
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