Sure Start

Lisburn and Bangor Sure Start aim to deliver “the best start in life” for every child. They offer a range of free programmes and services for all families with a child aged under four. All services are offered either in your own home or at one of Lisburn or Bangor Sure Start premises and include early education and play, health and family support.

Sure Start programmes have been designed specifically to reflect and respond to local needs. For that reason, each Sure Start project is unique in terms of the services it provides and the manner in which it provides them.

There are, however, core elements which feature in any Sure Start programme:

• Outreach and Home Visiting Service - to make contact as early as possible in a child's life and encourage families to avail of other services;
• Family Support including befriending, social support and parenting information, both group and home based;
• Good quality play, learning and childcare experiences for children (both group and home based);
• Primary and Community Health Care and Advice;
• Speech Langauge and Communication Support;
• Support for all children in the community recognising their differing needs.

Aims

1. Improve the ability to learn by encouraging stimulating play, improving language skills and the early identification and support of children with learning difficulties;
2. Improve health by supporting parents in caring for children and promoting children’s health and development;
3. Improve social development by supporting the development of early relationships between parents and children, good parenting skills, family functioning and early identification and support of children with emotional, learning or behavioural difficulties.

Outcomes

• Improved language skills;
• Early identification of developmental delay;
• Improved access to services;
• Enhanced parenting skills;
• Effectively integrated services.