Nursery World - 2m cuts 'will destroy local provision'

Funding cuts of 2m from local nurseries and children's centres are being proposed by Sheffield City Council in a move that campaigners say will leave large parts of the city with no childcare services at all.

The local authority says it wants to 'redirect' funding to the most disadvantaged children and has said that settings will only continue to receive money from the Early Intervention Grant if they provide for the wider needs of families and children.

According to the council, under the new funding model, multi-agency support teams will liaise directly with families, who will be able to choose the support they need, and the money 'will follow the child'. The council claims that this will give families targeted support from a provider that best meets each family's needs.

However, Chrissie Meleady of the Community Childcare Group, which represents seven community-run nurseries in Sheffield, said that the cuts will destroy high-quality local provision that has been helping families in the city for decades.

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