East Sussex County Council and the Primary Care Trusts (PCTs), building on the success of Sure Start and working in partnership with other local groups, are developing a network of children’s centres across the county. These offer easy access to early years activities, childcare and family services.
There are now six designated children's centres in East Sussex, with over 3,200 children already benefiting from their services.
Councillor Rupert Simmons, Lead Member for Learning and School Effectiveness said: "These centres provide a support network for young families from day one, helping to build their confidence in parenting skills. By offering easy access to services at an early stage, we hope to develop a strong relationship between families and the key service providers which they will use throughout their children’s lives.
"Good, affordable childcare also enables parents to take up work, education or training which has a knock-on effect in reducing child poverty.
"We are working with partners and local communities to develop a network of children’s centres and will build on the tremendous work already achieved by local Sure Start groups, PCTs and other organisations. We aim to have another 22 children’s centres across the county by March 2008, to support 14,789 more children.”
Families already familiar with local Sure Start services will see their local centres continue and develop under County Council management, who now have legal responsibility for providing and managing children’s centres in the county.
The Council took over responsibility for construction of new buildings at Peacehaven, Shinewater in Eastbourne and Robsack Wood in St Leonards when deadlines were already tight. If these had not been met, the Council stood to lose a lot of grant money from the Government.
Initially established in disadvantaged areas of Hastings & St Leonards, Newhaven & Peacehaven, Eastbourne, Bexhill & Sidley, Hailsham and rural Rother, they will be rolled out across the county over the next four years.
For more information about children’s centres contact Julie Smith, Project Support officer on 01323 743583 or visit our pages for children and families.
Notes to editors
1. The proposals for children’s centres were first set out in the Green Paper report, Every Child Matters, as part of the Government’s response to Lord Laming’s inquiry into the death of Victoria Climbie. They are being developed by local authorities as part of a national initiative to have a children’s centre in every community by 2010.
2. The main proposals in the Green Paper Every Child Matters were implemented by the Children’s Act 2004.
3. The Children’s Act 2004 gave local authorities strategic responsibility for the planning, development and delivery of children’s centres, although the centres may be managed on behalf of the local authority by other organisations such as voluntary agencies and charities.
4. Children’s centres build on existing successful programmes like Sure Start Local Programmes, Neighbourhood Nurseries and Early Excellence Centres.
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