The "Sure Start" programme will bring together education, health and social services for young children, funded with £540m made available in last week's spending review.

"We're doing everything we can to support parents to do their best for their children," said the Health Minister Tessa Jowell, who promised that the new scheme would improve upon "expensive, fragmented services that never quite get it right for children".

Tessa Jowell says the new scheme will reduce bad parenting and its consequences

"I don't think that there's a single baby born today whose mother and father don't want to be good parents. Sure Start will equip them with the skills needed to help their children to thrive and be ready to learn when they go to school," the minister said.

"The alternative is a continuing massive waste of public money spent dealing with the consequences of poor parenting, including delinquency and social exclusion."

Under the scheme, all new parents will be visited by a Sure Start representative before their baby reaches three months, who will offer advice on health care, feeding, local childcare services, play centres and extra support for children with special physical or behavioural needs.

Conservatives warn against nanny state

These Sure Start visitors, who will be based in local schools or health centres, will supplement the services already offered by health visitors. The government intends an initial 250 Sure Start centres to be established within three years.

This more interventionist approach to providing services for new families was criticised by the Shadow Education Secretary, David Willetts, who claimed it was a further step towards a "nanny state".