Investing in high-quality education in the early stages of a child's life is critical to tackling disadvantage and helping every child achieve their full potential. It also makes sense financially. That's why we are reforming Sure Start services to target the neediest and are extending the offer of 15 hours of free childcare a week to all disadvantaged two-year-olds. Together with the pupil premium in schools, this will mean that we are supporting the poorest children at every stage of their education.
It was welcome to see this approach reflected in the recommendations published recently by Frank Field in his independent review on poverty and life chances. Identifying and supporting families early, before problems escalate, is at the heart of our approach. Sure Start children's centres, together with schools, health services, police and other services, should all be concerned to spot and support the most vulnerable families early. The EIG will help to do this. It brings together funding for universal, as well as specialist services, and is worth £2,212m in 2011/12 and £2,297m in 2012/13.
Local authorities understand the impact that Sure Start children's centres have on communities and they have shown considerable commitment to raising the quality of early years settings. It's that experience that gives me confidence that local authorities are best placed to decide what's best for the families in their communities. The EIG will give local authorities the freedom and the flexibility to do that.
I understand the concern of some in the early years sector about the removal of ring-fencing from some of the early years budget. This doesn't mean that early years is no longer a priority. On the contrary - it's a recognition of the sector's growing strength and maturity. We want to see local authorities using the EIG to shape and provide the right services for their families, working with the whole community, including the early years sector.
Within the EIG, there are key areas that we expect local authorities to prioritise. These are:
Sure Start children's centres We have ensured that there is sufficient funding in the EIG to maintain the network of Sure Start children's centres. In addition, important new investment in health visitors, through Department of Health budgets, will promote stronger partnerships with health. Local authorities continue to have duties to consult before opening, closing or significantly changing children's centres and to make sure there is sufficient children's centre provision to meet local need. It is vital that we maintain and capitalise on this network, while supporting improvements in quality, focus and efficiency.
Two-year-olds We are investing in high-quality early education for the most disadvantaged and we plan to legislate to create an entitlement to free early education for two-year-olds from 2013. In the meantime, there is funding included within the EIG over the next two years, so that local authorities can build capacity.
Short breaks for disabled children We have included more than £800m, over four years, within the EIG for local authorities to provide respite break services to families with disabled children.
I know that many of you will feel uncertain about how local authorities will implement this new grant. But I hope you're reassured that the early years are being prioritised by this Government, and we expect local authorities to continue to invest in high-quality, targeted services that many of you work so hard to provide.