Children living in south east Coventry are to be given a better start in life following an £2.4 million cash injection into the area.

The government has approved a plan for a scheme to be run called Sure Start in Willenhall, Stoke Aldermoor, Binley and Ernesford Grange.

Parents and young families were involved in drawing up ideas of improvements that could be made to the area to give children a better start in life.

Once the three-year scheme is up and running the aim is to give local people a big role to play.

The scheme, which is one of 69 similar projects across the country, is to provide health advice, more support for parents and wider educational opportunities for parents in the area.

Sure Start is to pioneer a co-ordinated approach and bring together the education and social services departments, Coventry Healthcare NHS Trust and community groups to work alongside one another.

Ideas in the plan include:

• Befriending and voluntary support for parents by other partners
• Home visits for those with newborn babies
• A child-minding network
• Healthy eating advice for families

Ward councillor John Mutton, who has backed the scheme, said:

“I’m very pleased that Coventry’s plan has been approved. Sure Start is a partnership with the community and will have a long-term positive effect on everyone who lives here.”