The Children's Plan promised to support training for outreach workers, as well as a share of a £4bn pot to pay for two outreach workers in children's centres in disadvantaged areas.
But James Hempsall, director of childcare training provider and consultancy Hempsall Consultancies, said lessons should be learned from existing outreach work in Sure Start.
"Children's centres should not rely exclusively on dedicated workers for outreach work," he said. "There should be a plan that workers lead on, including allocated responsibilities for all agencies. Centres should recruit outreach champions in the form of active community members and trusted organisations."
Liz Railton, director of Sure Start delivery partner Together For Children, said it was vital to share good practice as centres develop outreach services.
Register Now to Continue Reading
Thank you for visiting Children & Young People Now and making use of our archive of more than 60,000 expert features, topics hubs, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:
What's Included
-
Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month
-
Email newsletter providing advice and guidance across the sector
Already have an account? Sign in here
