It is becoming clear that childcare policies will be a major vote-winner in the forthcoming general election, which should be good news for everyone within the early years sector.
Netmums (see News, page 5) is at the centre of political activity, as the parties vie to take the high ground on family services.
So it is an opportune time for the launch of 4Children's 'Shout out for a Sure Start' campaign, attended last week by Ed Balls (Labour), Maria Miller (Conservative) and Annette Brooke (LibDem), as well as the less parliamentary figures of Melinda Messenger and Peppa Pig!
Sure Start and the Children's Centres programme have come in for much criticism over their lifetime so far - claims of lack of value for money, the need to reach more of the 'hard to reach' - but they should be viewed as a real achievement of this Government, and one that should be built on rather than destroyed.
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