The quality of group childcare settings used by 3-4 year old children in Sure Start local programme areas and the relationship with child outcomes

Sure Start Local Programmes (SSLPs), now Sure Start Children's Centres, aim to support young children and their families by integrating early education, childcare, healthcare and family support services in disadvantaged areas. SSLPs aim to improve the health and well-being of families and young children, so that children will have greater oppor tunity to do well in school and later life. This study investigates pre-school group childcare (ch ildminders were not include d) used by children in 150 SSLP areas, and makes comparisons with childcare used by children in England overall. Also the study investigates links between childcare quality and child development in SSLP areas.