IT would be nice to think that, with the aid of a De Lorean car and a mad inventor, you could pinpoint the day when modern society's problems began.

The catalyst of today's crime, unemployment, poverty and anti-social behaviour could be nipped in the bud and maybe, just maybe, life would be better in many of Britain's communities in 2003.

But, although the Back to the Future plot is a wonderful idea, even the Labour Government recognised the impossibility of time travel and four years ago, came up with a far more sensible way of tackling the problem at the start.

By giving babies and children a better emotional, physical and intellectual start with the aid of devoted teams and a bit of hard cash, the cycle of deprivation could be broken.

And if children and their parents had more fulfilling lives, they had more of a chance to escape the downward spiral and communities would flourish as a whole.

With this in mind, Sure Start was born and millions of pounds have already been invested in developing and improving services for pre-school children and their families across Britain.

It aims to encourage parents to spend time with their children, provide support, advice and places to meet up, as well as training to help get them back to work, creches at competitive rates and facilities for children.

All in all, the "social experiment" aims to halve the number of children living in poverty by 2010.

Worcester was allocated £5m to plough into its three areas of deprivation - Tolladine, Brickfields and Dines Green - although schemes are already in place courtesy of an interim grant last year.

Programme manager Ian Craigan, who has 20 years of experience in community work, said the project aimed to radically improve lives of families in these "needy" areas.

"A lot of people cannot lift their heads above the parapet," he said.

"Many are emotionally and physically cut off and do not have the money to do anything about it."

"But after a lot of government research into employment, health and communities, it has put its money where its mouth is."

Worcester became eligible for Sure Start funding in 2001, when 500 cities and towns in Britain were identified as having the worst pockets of deprivation.

The areas were Tolladine and Brickfields, but closer inspection Dines Green, on the other side of the river, was also suffering.

The Worcester project is backed by a range of multi-agency partnerships; Worcester City and county councils, health trusts, community and voluntary organisations and parents.

But unlike other schemes, a panel of representatives from each organisation, whether a statutory body or a mother, makes the decisions.

Since the project began, baby cafs, crches and speech therapy sessions have all blossomed in the three areas, which are based at the Green Centre, Dines Green, Tolladine Community Centre and the Warndon Community Centre.

After a £400,000 cash injection in October, community midwives and health visitors were taken on to give advice and undertake scans at the centres, while post-natal depression will also addressed as part of the Sure Start objective.

There are opportunities for parents to take up art, complete First Aid or healthy eating courses, or receive basic computer skills while their children are looked after by Worcester College of Technology's Playtech scheme.

Sure Start money has been invested in animated hand puppets to help shy children communicate, action songs to encourage singing, dancing and music and toy libraries where toys can be swapped for free.

But there's more to come.

The Fairfield Centre is taking shape in the redundant buildings of Elbury Mount Primary School.

It will provide 48 creche places and a learning centre with online facilities.

The Minister for Sure Start, Baroness Cathy Ashton, will officially launch the Sure Start programme today at the site and talk to councillors, parents and key workers.

Plans also include bringing on board interpreters to help mothers, who might be experiencing racism or isolation, to communicate their feelings and needs.

Mr Craigan said Sure Start aimed to be a shoulder to lean on from the time a mother finds out she is expecting.

"There is excitement, worries about how people will respond to the news and how they will provide for that child," he said.

"As a partnership we want to ensure it's a positive experience; whether its by giving people access to advice about bringing up a child or encouraging them to incorporate music or breast feeding into their lives.

"We also plan to run parenting classes as many suffer from very low esteem and need building up."

Several posts have also been created to work alongside existing volunteers, parents and professionals to ensure there is ready access to advice, help and support.