The governments intention is to have 3500 childrens centres by 2010. Integrated Childrens Centre represents a revolutionary shift in the way in which childrens services are offered to families. The notion of a One-stop shop to meet local community needs provides the possibility of high quality health, education and care services provided in a client friendly accessible manner, that empowers local people to support the design and delivery of services. Providing early intervention to minimise risk to every young child through sensitive quality services could and should enable each child meet their potential. A Childrens Centre in every community is one arm of the push to tackle social exclusion and help lift every child out of poverty. Leading and managing integrated Childrens Centres is a highly complex and demanding role.

Integrated Childrens Centres looks at the way in which the Childrens Centre development has built upon research and experience of initiatives such as the HeadStart programme in America and the SureStart programme. It explores the component elements of truly integrative services and the key players in ensuring positive outcomes: families, the local authority, PCT, private and voluntary sector, faith groups. It also looks at the challenges faced by Centres, most particularly the difficulty of ensuring that professional cultures come together in a spirit of true collaboration. From case study material it examines what can be achieved while it reviews the barriers to success.

This highly topical book will be of interest to nursery and childrens centres managers and early years practitioners enrolled on the NPQICL or EYPS programmes, as well as students working towards a degree in Early Childhood Studies or MA in Early Years.