Vox Pop: Should Sure Start centres charge for some services?

NO - ALISON GARNHAM, CHIEF EXECUTIVE, CHILD POVERTY ACTION GROUP

Providing universal services in Sure Start children's centres draws on research demonstrating that children from disadvantaged backgrounds do best in high-quality settings that have a mixed socioeconomic intake.

Charging for services damages both the range and quality of services. If politicians object to middle-class mothers using Sure Start, they should know it is precisely their presence that helps provide a high-quality and socially inclusive environment in which all children thrive.

Cutting support to children is no way to pay off the deficit. There are more equitable, and less damaging ways to save money.

YES - ANNE LONGFIELD, CHIEF EXECUTIVE, 4CHILDREN

Charging for childcare is already a core part of the Sure Start centre model. But providers must think carefully about extending charges to other areas.

The universal front door is crucially important if we are to ensure that all families get access to the services they deserve. We know that parents value being able to access children's centres, regardless of their social background. Vulnerable families especially benefit from centres being universal and non-stigmatising.

It is important to remember that not all problems are income related. Mothers from all backgrounds can have postnatal depression or breastfeeding problems.

NO - RYAN SHORTHOUSE, RESEARCHER, SOCIAL MARKET FOUNDATION

I'm not against co-payments for public services from affluent families. But determining eligibility for free Sure Start services and introducing payment systems to collect money would require a new, expensive bureaucracy.

You would also need an expensive process of trialling to assess the level payments need to be set at to maintain demand from higher income groups.

I suspect the payment level would be low and the eligibility threshold for free services high so that middle-income families are not put off. So, overall, this policy is likely to be more costly than the revenue it generates.

NO - MELIAN MANSFIELD, CHAIR, EARLY CHILDHOOD FORUM

Services for families must be universal. Investing in providing these services, free of charge to all, enables families and children to develop and prosper and save money later on when problems become greater.

The advantages of supporting families when children are young have been well researched and no government should ignore this. Access to integrated services for all families through Sure Start centres will narrow the gap and improve educational outcomes for all children, especially the most disadvantaged.