A SCHEME to give youngsters a better start in life is celebrating its first anniversary.

The Sure Start East Cleveland Partnership, part of a Government initiative, was launched in Loftus last May.

It now has 28 members of staff and offers a series of courses and events throughout Loftus, Skinningrove, Carlin How, Liverton Mines and Easington.

Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council paid for four projects to be developed - providing rooms at Harry Dack, Hummersea, and St Joseph's primary schools, the Sure Start Centre in Loftus and a playbus that travels throughout the area bringing different play opportunities for toddlers.

Manager Julie Conner said beneficial schemes have been set up, including a programme to screen all three-year-olds for speech and language skills, a dental and oral health worker visiting schools and aqua natal classes for mums-to-be.

There are also question and answer sessions, special needs advice for parents of children who have learning difficulties, a breast feeding programme and a scheme teaching babysitting skills to older pupils at Rosecroft School.

Sure Start also encourages parents back into education and to increase their use of local libraries which, Ms Conner says, puts them on the first rung of the ladder for employment.

Almost £2m is being spent on the projects but Ms Conner said the benefits to the people of East Cleveland are clear to see.

"I talk to parents who say their lives have been transformed by the scheme," she said.

"People say they were sitting at home on their own all day with a baby not knowing their neighbours or anyone in the village - and now they are on our management programme.

"It is a community led project and it is such a satisfying project to be working on because it is bringing people together - they are working together and supporting each other," she added.