The opening of the Greater Hollington Children’s Centre adds to a growing network of Children’s Centres being developed as a priority by East Sussex County Council in partnership with Primary Care Trusts and local groups. They provide childcare, early years activities and support for families with young children in easily accessible, neighbourhood settings.
The Greater Hollington Centre will offer services across three sites in north St. Leonards:
- a newly built day-care nursery offering complete services for children up to five years old at Robsack Community Primary School
- legal and benefits advice, training, education and family support services at the newly refurbished Robsack Centre, and
- a range of health services including midwifery and speech and language at the Mayfield Surgery.
Councillor Keith Glazier, the County Council’s Lead Member for Adults and Children’s Services, will open the new Greater Hollington Children’s Centre nursery at Robsack Community Primary School.
Councillor Glazier said "the development of Children’s Centres are a Council priority and the opening of the Greater Hollington Children’s Centre represents our commitment to supporting young families and to providing services which give local children the best possible start in life.”
Invitations to celebrate the official opening were sent to every family in the North St. Leonards area with a child under five years. Free fun and activities on the day include a bouncy castle, face painting, balloon modelling and a ‘bike’ smoothie maker. Families will also enjoy free food and refreshments and will be able to find out about what’s on offer at all three venues.
The Greater Hollington opening adds to the growing network of Children’s Centres across the county. There are now 10 Children’s Centres in East Sussex and the Council plans to open another 18 Centres by March 2008.
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Notes to editors
- Children’s Centres provide families with children under five easy access to early years activities, childcare and family services. For more about East Sussex Children’s Services visit our section for Children and families. For more information about the new Greater Hollington Children’s Centre, contact Tracey Rose, Greater Hollington Children’s Centre Manager, telephone 01424 853334 or mobile telephone 0787 6037539.
- Children’s Centres build on existing successful programmes like Sure Start local programmes, neighbourhood nurseries and early excellence centres.
- Children’s Centres were first set out in the Green Paper, Every Child Matters, part of the Government’s response to Lord Laming’s inquiry into the death of Victoria Climbie. The main proposals in Every Child Matters were implemented by the Children’s Act 2004.
- 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.
- Partners in the Greater Hollington children’s centre include: Hastings and St Leonards PCT, Horizons Learning Project, Excellence Cluster, Hastings College, Brighton University, Robsack Wood Primary School and local schools, Play Development Service, HomeStart, Chichester Diocesan Association, JobCentre Plus, Tomorrows People, Sussex Careers, Fellowship of St Nicholas, Greater Hollington Partnership, National Childminding Association, local childcare providers, KITES (Family information Service) Early Years Development and Childcare (EYDC).
Reference:
PR1105
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