The challenge for practitioners is to support parents to give their children the best start in life.
It's not always easy, explains Honor Rhodes, director of development at the Family and Parenting Institute (FPI). "The majority of parents want the very best for their children; the door is open," she says. "But there are some who find the idea of engaging with an institution threatening and frightening. That can be quite frustrating."
This is an area where the FPI has a wealth of expertise.
It spearheaded the government-funded Early Learning Partnership Project, which saw voluntary organisations work with "hardest-to-reach" families.
The FPI also developed the Early Home Learning Matters website and most recently launched a best practice guide for professionals working with parents and involved in planning early years services.
Reaching out to parents least likely to walk into a children's centre takes time and perseverance, stresses Rhodes.
"It's not about going that extra mile, more like an extra 10 but the benefits for children are considerable," she says.
"Helping a parent feel confident to use a service or do an activity is one of the most important things you can do for small children who'd otherwise have quite a bleak home environment."
Family workers need to be able to show those with few resources they can still provide stimulating play and learning experiences for their children. They must also work holistically.
"Parents can have a range of issues like drug misuse or mental health problems and want someone who can broker the help they need, not someone who says 'that's not my responsibility'," says Rhodes.
Centres need to move away from nine-to-five provision to reach parents only available in the evenings.
Crucially, they must ensure they're offering help and information parents actually want and need.
Staging a generic open day is less likely to attract people than arranging specific support such as benefits advice or tips about healthy eating on a budget, says Rhodes.
Listening to parents is key. "They want much more than face painting. They want us to step up and help them," says Rhodes.
"The best thing to do is to have a really open conversation with parents about how to do that."
TOP TIPS
- Give engagement work the time it needs. The most vulnerable families can take months to engage
- Often families think and change more easily in the comfort and security of their own homes
- For more information go to www.earlyhomelearning.org.uk
