EAST Lancashire MP Gordon Prentice has backed the government Sure Start initiative for children from deprived families.
The Labour backbencher said that more than 2,000 children in his Pendle constituency were benefiting from the government programme according to new figures he had released.
Sure Start brings together a wide range of initiatives, including early education and childcare, to improve the health and well being of families and children
Mr Prentice said Sure Start was precisely the kind of programme that made a difference to people's lives.
He added: "I want to see the programme extended now that it has shown its worth."
Pendle has four children's centres to reach a total of 3,123 children under five: three of the centres have received approval to proceed from the Sure Start Unit and one centre was the early designation announced in September 2003. All Sure Start local programmes, neighbourhood nurseries and the Early Excellence Centre are involved in the delivery of the children's centre agenda.
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