Families fight children's centre closures

Major changes to the way children’s centre provision is run are out for consultation by Birmingham City Council, after it awarded the tender to run health and education services for young children and families to Birmingham Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust (BCHT).

The proposal involves creating ‘early years hubs’ in districts based in each of the city’s ten constituency areas with a network of family services run from points including libraries and places of worship, in partnership with Barnardo’s, Spurgeons Children’s Charity, St Paul’s Community Development Trust and The Springfield Project. Services in Sutton Coldfield would be managed by Spurgeons.

A spokesperson for BCHT told Nursery World that they are planning a series of public events in September in each district about the service model for people affected by the changes.

Families attended a public meeting last week organised by Sutton Locality Children's Centres, which runs the town's five children’s centres, and provides services such as antenatal support, baby massage, breastfeeding support, childcare, stay and play, family support, first aid courses, a young parents group, and a toy library, that has 800 members.

The children’s centres are currently under the governance of the Arthur Terry Learning Partnership, a multi-academy trust of five children’s centres, four primary schools, three secondary schools and a teaching school, based in Four Oaks, Erdington and Coleshill

The centres work with nurseries, schools, libraries, voluntary organisations, churches, and community groups to provide access to services and information for families with under-fives.

Children’s centre leaders are concerned about the impact the proposed changes will have on these services, and claim that if the plans go ahead some areas of Sutton, such as Boldmere, Four Oaks and Walmley, will have less access to services, due to limited public transport arrangements.

They also say they do not know what arrangements are being made regarding capacity and suitability of alternative venues and what the new services will offer, but that antenatal classes and SEN services for children with autism are among services that do not feature in the plans.

Sue Bailey, strategic lead for Sutton Locality Children's Centres and assistant headteacher at Arthur Terry School, said, ‘These cuts will really hit our families. The proposals will see some long established and very successful services close and venues that have become very popular in terms of delivering health services no longer in use. Coupled with another substantial budget cut, this will mean a reduction in the support given to our families.’

Caroline Price, a mother of three and volunteer at the Four Oaks breast-feeding group, has a disabled husband and has used the children’s centres for seven years.

‘If it wasn’t for the children’s centres helping me, I would be lost,’ she said. ‘We need these services in this area.’

Another parent said, ‘To get from Boldmere with my twins in a double buggy to New Hall would be almost impossible. I have no car and this journey would involve at least two buses and a long walk. I also have an older child to walk to nursery and to collect.’

Richard Gill, CEO of the ATLP, said, ‘The children's centres make such an important contribution to the whole safeguarding agenda which makes Sutton Coldfield a safer place.

‘The vast majority of under threes are seen by early years professionals from the team. A reduction in services could result in missed opportunities to safeguard our most vulnerable.’

The family support team worked with 99 families from all areas in Sutton Coldfield last year, with a range of needs, including domestic violence, housing, alcohol and drug misuse, postnatal depression and isolation.

Mr Gill added, ‘All involved have major concerns about how a reduction in services will impact on the many families who rely on what the children's centres provide and we are calling on the support of parents and stakeholders to ensure these services are not reduced so we can continue to meet their needs.’

City council officers also attended the meeting. The council is urging parents to respond to the consultation. It says that the views of parents and carers across the city will play a crucial part in designing a service that is for, in and of each community and capable of meeting particular local needs.

Launching the consultation last month, councillor Brigid Jones, Birmingham City Council cabinet member for children, families and schools, said, ‘We need to target services towards those children and families that need them the most, and where they need them most. So rather than focusing on bricks and mortar we need to make services available at places children and families use the most – for example, having access points in GP surgeries.

‘The new system will provide a far more integrated service, so instead of having 76 different contracts, creating a widely differing service depending on where you live, there will be one contract with Birmingham Community Healthcare.’

Ross Hendry, chief executive of Spurgeons Children’s Charity, which is taking on the running of Sutton Coldfield services, said, ‘We are delighted to be part of the partnership that will take forward support for young families across Birmingham. Spurgeons has a strong record of running projects across the city, delivering real benefits for local children and families by working at the heart of their communities. Through the care and expertise of our staff and partners, we hope to give hope to every child for an equal chance in getting the best start in life and for their future.’

• An open forum event on the plans will be held at Mere Green Community Centre in Sutton Coldfield on 1 August.
• The council consultation closes on 19 August and can be found here.