Agenda item - Children's Centre Review

Report of the Executive Director of Children’s Services (copy attached)

43.1    RESOLVED: That the Committee agreed:

(i)            To note the report from the Children’s Centre Review Board

(ii)          To agree to a consultation on future options for the delivery of children’s centres to report to the January 2016 Committee.

(iii)         To agree to consultation on proposals for:

·         Seven designated children’s centres with outreach to delivery points across the city

·         A revised core offer of services which will include:

§  Open access baby groups in venues across the city

§  One open access drop-in group in venues across the city with priority for families with identified needs and children under two

§  Offering more parenting talks and discussion groups to reach more parents at an earlier stage and fewer longer parenting courses

§  Promoting volunteering and community/parent run groups

§  Evidence based interventions delivered in groups and home visits for families most in need.

§  Improved support for families with young children facing multiple disadvantage as part of the city’s Stronger Families Stronger Communities Programme

§  More focus on support for training and employment

43.1    The Committee considered the report of the Executive Director of Children’s Services which reported on the review of the Children’s Centre Service and which made recommendations on the proposal for consultation to achieve budget savings. The report was introduced by the Head of Sure Start and The Assistant Director Stronger Families Youth and Communities.

43.2    Councillor O’Quinn thanked officers for the report and said that given the financial pressures the authority was facing that proposals were very good.

43.3    Councillor Brown and said that whilst no one would want to see the closure of Children’s Centres, the Council had to be realistic and consider closing some of them. She said that it was good that seven centres could be kept, and said that it was essential that those centres be able to deliver services to everyone in the city. The Conservative Group would support the recommendation to consult on any changes.

43.4    Councillor Phillips felt that the cuts were short sighted and a lack of intervention could lead to more and expensive provision being needed in the future. She said it was important to maintain provision for people from all backgrounds, and was concerned that any reduction in service could impact on minority groups. Councillor Phillips felt that the proposal to consult was not genuine as there wasn’t an option to continue with the current provision, and said that a possible 35% to the service was huge and would impact on service provision, and because of that the Green Group would not support the recommendations. The Chair said that the administration would certainly prefer to be able to continue with twelve Children’s Centres, but due to the budget cuts that was not possible and alternative ways of delivering the service had to be looked at.

43.1    RESOLVED: That the Committee agreed:

(i)            To note the report from the Children’s Centre Review Board

(ii)          To agree to a consultation on future options for the delivery of children’s centres to report to the January 2016 Committee.

(iii)         To agree to consultation on proposals for:

·         Seven designated children’s centres with outreach to delivery points across the city

·         A revised core offer of services which will include:

§  Open access baby groups in venues across the city

§  One open access drop-in group in venues across the city with priority for families with identified needs and children under two

§  Offering more parenting talks and discussion groups to reach more parents at an earlier stage and fewer longer parenting courses

§  Promoting volunteering and community/parent run groups

§  Evidence based interventions delivered in groups and home visits for families most in need.

§  Improved support for families with young children facing multiple disadvantage as part of the city’s Stronger Families Stronger Communities Programme

§  More focus on support for training and employment