Respect Labour MP Frank Field has called for a radical overhaul of early years education.
In his report for the coalition's Independent Review of Poverty and Life Chances, Frank has suggested SureStart needs to be refocused back on its original purpose of tackling childhood poverty. Not long ago I was at my local Hexham East SureStart centre where work and support is increasingly focused with families who need it and we need to see more of that.
Frank also recommends a radical approach in the way we deal with child poverty. I welcome us looking at how we focus on the poverty trap which is so difficult for children to escape. We must do more than rely on handing out benefits if we are to break this cycle.
Nobody should be condemned to poverty because of the circumstances of their early years.
