MOVES are underway to create fully integrated children's centres - delivering high quality early years education, care and health facilities - in the most deprived areas of the county.

Durham County Council wants to take full advantage of the Government's decision to establish a national Sure Start Unit.

The new inter-departmental unit is responsible for ensuring delivery of early years education, better and affordable childcare, after school activities, and children's health and family support facilities.

This new approach will apply from April next year, but moves are already underway in Durham to plan a strategy and secure necessary funding from the Government.

Cabinet member for education Neil Foster said: "The plan is to have children's centre services across 85 of the most deprived wards in County Durham. They are among the 20 per cent most deprived in the country.

"The council will play the key role in planning and ensuring delivery of services from the new centres."

The expected cost of the project from 2004-2006 is almost £7m and the aim is to reach almost 11,500 children aged 0-five and create 756 new childcare places.

Coun Foster said: "This is a very challenging project and we have now started to engage local partners so we can develop a coherent plan and funding proposal for achieving the reach and childcare places targets."