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Abstract1948 was not only the year that saw the establishment of the National Health Service and The Children Act 1948, it also was the founding year of Family Service Units (FSU). FSU is younger than the larger child care charities, and unlike its sister organisations: Children's Society, Barnardos, and NCH Action for Children, its roots are not in the church, but in the pacifist movement during the Second World War. Given its radical traditions, it has been influential in social work and child care practice well beyond what would be expected of an organisation of its size. Having been established by individuals who took enormous personal risks for their beliefs, FSU has always been characterised by staff, trustees and volunteers of enormous conviction and passion. This is evident in the description of the development of the organisation over the last fifty years. FSU now has twenty-one units around Britain delivering a wide variety of family support services. Each unit is locally funded and develops its particular mix of services based on local need: anti-bullying work, work to combat domestic violence, support to survivors of abuse, support to refugees and asylum seekers, are examples of specialist work locally designed and delivered. At the core of every unit, however, is a commitment to family casework that grew out of FSU's history. It had a different starting point from the Children Act 1948, and has maintained its commitment to that original premise throughout the years, children's needs are best met within the family, and only by helping parents to provide adequately for their children, will there be good outcomes for the whole family.

Working with young children is challenging and we do not always get it right. But the foundation stage offered a welcome opportunity for the early years profession to revisit some of the most enduring principles regarding young children's learning.

By Naomi Eisenstadt, senior research fellow in families, early learning and literacy at the University of Oxford

The Government is to be congratulated on its commitment to families with young children. It has commissioned three excellent reports and seems to agree with their findings, says Naomi Eisenstadt.

The article discusses the guidance for Sure Start Children's Centres published by the Department of Education. The author expresses concern on how local authorities will interpret the text that is child-centred and balanced between services for all children and services targeted for families needing extra support. According to the author, reactions on the guidance include that of target increases, and increased entry barriers for certain services.

The author comments on the approach of the British government to reduce the increasing poverty. According to the author, reduction of poverty requires a complementary but different policy approach and that there is a need to getting parents into employment. The author states that evidence-based parenting programmes and general parent support will help reduce poverty, and stresses that it is crucially important for the government to remove the children from poverty.