A LEADING Government minister yesterday visited a successful small Teesside pre-school children and parent centre.
Treasury Secretary of State Dawn Primarolo praised the Government-funded Redhill Sure Start Centre, in Stockton.
She visited the centre to promote an initiative to create 2,500 children's centres promoting a wider range of services for children.
Many of the centres will be based at existing Sure Start centres, including Redhill in north Stockton.
The Paymaster General also explained that a tax credit scheme had been launched to help parents pay for childcare.
She said: "The wide range of services the Redhill Centre provides to families, including 50 childcare places, helps local parents with bringing up children as well as developing their full potential in the workplace.
"I am also pleased that many of the parents here are able to take advantage of support for childcare from new tax credits. Over 17,500 families in Stockton receive tax credits, with 28,700 children already benefiting."
The Redhill Centre covers the wards of Hardwick, Milehouse and Roseworth. It operates from the Redhill Centre and Ragworth Neighbourhood Centre.
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