Research and Guidance
Guidance
Guidance was issued to each local authority, health board, NHS trust and voluntary organisations in December 1998 on how to operate the Sure Start Scotland programme. A copy of the guidance is below:
Sure Start Scotland Guidance
Revised Guidance was issued to each local authority, health board, NHS trust and voluntary organisations in June 2000. A copy of the revised guidance is below:
Revised Sure Start Scotland Guidance
Evaluation
A mapping exercise was carried out in 2001 to ensure that the Sure Start Scotland programme had met the Programme for Government target to expand support through family centres, mobile and outreach services for at least 5,000 additional children by 2002.
The Minister for Young People announced in May 2002 that the first stage evaluation had shown that the target had been exceeded. The report is available at Mapping Sure Start Scotland evaluation.
An updated mapping exercise was conducted between November 2004 and April 2005. The evaluation involved collecting data on all Sure Start services across the Scottish local authorities in order to assess the range of services provided and number of places offered, compared with 2001. This mapping exercise aims to provide:
• An update on the quantitative data obtained from local authorities in 2001
• A description of the planning processes within local authorities
• An assessment of the impact of Sure Start Scotland services and funding on children
and their families
Sure Start Mapping Exercise 2004 - Report on the development and expansion of Sure Start Scotland services since 2001
The research findings are available at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2006/01/12153658/0