SW parents worry their children are not ready to start school

Over half (55%) of South West parents are worried their child will not be ready to start school at the age of five, according to a poll from Action for Children.

The survey of over 1000 parents across the UK also found that of these worried parents from the South West, 63% were concerned that if their child started school behind their peers, they would remain behind – which can seriously impact their ability to do well in education and find a good job in later life.

Being ready for school means reaching a good level of development in a number of areas that enable children to cope emotionally, communicate with teachers and be confident interacting with other children.

Brigitte Gater, Action for Children’s director of children’s services in the South West, said: “Starting school is a huge milestone in a child’s life. It is not surprising that 74% of parents in the South West told us that the Government should make sure all children reach a good level of development by age five. We are calling on the Government to measure this as part of their Life Chances Strategy, as we know that once a child starts school behind their peers they will face an uphill challenge to catch up.

“Parents play the most important role in helping their child develop during their earliest years but they shouldn’t need to do this alone or feel that asking for help is a reflection on their parenting. Our research shows that parents want affordable, non-judgemental support from a trusted source to ensure their child has the best start in life. The Government have said that they recognise the importance of supporting parents, so they must listen to them about what will help.”

Action for Children has a wide range of services that can make a difference to children through supporting parents. We provide services in Plymouth at Kids Club at Manor Street Children’s Centre and Stay and Play at Green Ark Children’s Centre, that any parents can use, where children can play with toys and one another. We also offer more intensive evidence based programmes that give parents the chance to develop skills such as setting boundaries and good routines.

To find your nearest centre visit www.actionforchildren.org.uk