Earlier this year, Hackney Council put forward plans to close Seabright and Fernbank Children’s Centres if an alternative provider could not be found, and reduce services at Hillside and Oldhill Children’s Centres. Ahead of a final hearing in the High Court in London, the council admitted its consultation was ‘unlawful’. It will now need to re-launch its consultation.
WHY DID YOU GET INVOLVED IN THE CAMPAIGN TO SAVE THE CHILDREN’S CENTRES?
Hannah Hollings (HH) -I got involved in the campaign to ensure we, as a community, could prevent the council from closing Children’s Centres in Hackney. I believe these centres are vital resources for families, offering support, education, and a safe environment for children. When I heard about the proposed closures, I knew I had to get involved to help protect these services that so many people rely on.
Natalie Aguilera (NA) - I was involved in leading the 2021 campaign to stop the Children’s Centre closures (the decision was then paused by the council), so when this came back round I was ready to help fight it again. It has involved devoting a huge amount of time to campaigning, but I’m doing it because I feel passionately about the value of Children’s Centres – their impact on the life outcomes of children from disadvantaged families in particular is profound. The community is also in desperate need of more affordable childcare, not less!
WHAT IMPACT WOULD THE CLOSURE OF THE CENTRES/CHILDCARE PROVISION HAVE ON YOU?
HH - The closure of the Children’s Centres would have a huge impact on us as a family, let alone every other family that uses them! These centres are essential for providing affordable, reliable childcare, which allows us to work and support our household. Beyond that, they are a source of community and support – a place where parents connect. Losing these centres would create challenges not just for us but for all families in Hackney who rely on them.
WHAT PART HAVE YOU PLAYED IN THE CAMPAIGN AND LEGAL CASE AGAINST THE COUNCIL?
HH - I’ve been actively involved in the campaign by participating in protests to raise awareness and show our collective opposition to the closures. Attending these demonstrations alongside other parents, children and community members hasbeen an important way for us to make our voices heard and highlight the impact these closures would have.
We, as a family, represented Seabright Children’s Centre in the legal case. When we finally enrolled at the Children’s Centre –after a 14-month waitlist – the protest was already under way. They were looking for a family to represent, and it was a no-brainer for us. After waiting so long to secure a spot at this specific centre, we knew we had to fight to keep it open. For us, it’s personal: my son’s dad actually attended this nursery, so it holds a lot of significance for our family. I’ve relied on this centre since I gave birth to my son, and it’s been a key part of his upbringing and our community support.
NA - I have organised and spoken at demos, written press releases, worked with UNISON reps, MPs and local councillors, managed the website, rallied supporters, presented at council scrutiny committee meetings, organised the fundraising for the legal case and leafleted all over Hackney!
IT’S FANTASTIC NEWS YOU WON YOUR CASE AGAINST THE COUNCIL, DID YOU EVER SUSPECT YOU WOULD BE SUCCESSFUL?
HH - It was a huge relief hearing the news that we won the case. We worked hard to build a strong case and rallied the community to show the council the real impact of their decision. It proved that when we come together, we really can make a difference. It’s fantastic they admitted that they were in the wrong and quashed their consultation.
NA - Yes, it really has been a mammoth community effort so it’s fantastic to have been successful! I always felt we had a decent chance – despite the odds being against us – because the consultation was so clearly unfair and unlawful.
WHAT ARE THE NEXT STEPS NOW WITH THE CAMPAIGN?
HH - Now that we’ve won the case, our next steps are to ensure the council follows through on its commitment to keep the centres open and to push for more support in these essential services. Unfortunately, they’ve not given us a final verdict on how they will handle the Children’s Centres – which is absurd, leaving all the parents, children, and incredible staff in limbo. We plan to stay active in monitoring any future decisions, we will continue to fight if we have to.
NA - We are currently waiting to see what the council communicates next about the future of the centres. In the meantime, we are hoping to get a meeting with Mayor Woodley to make the case for real community engagement when it comes to making any changes to Children’s Centre provision and to ask that she commits to safeguarding all Children’s Centre nursery places.
IF OTHER PARENTS/CHILDCARE STAFF ARE LOOKING AT FIGHTING THEIR COUNCIL AGAINST CLOSURES, WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE?
HH - My advice would be to stay united and organised as a community. Gather as many voices as possible – because there’s strength in numbers. Use every platform available to raise awareness. Stay persistent; if it wasn’t for everyone playing their role, it wouldn’t have been possible. But don’t give up!
NA - Get legal advice and start fundraising for legal action as soon as a consultation opens. Unfortunately, in my experience, it’s this aspect that makes all the difference as to whether a campaign is successful or not.
- For more information, visit: www.nurseryworld.co.uk/news
