Voicing concerns over the lack of clarity coming from central government, they called for a "bottom up" approach to developing the integrated centres.
These calls were backed by speakers including Norman Glass, chief executive of the National Centre for Social Research, and Steve Alexander, chief executive of the Pre-school Learning Alliance. Alexander said local authorities should consult with their communities when they are developing children's centres.
And Glass said the Government should take an approach of "we like this, here's the money, we'll come back in a few years".
Julia Gault, assistant divisional director at the Sure Start Unit, tried to convince delegates that the Government did want children's centres to be developed with local needs in mind.
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