Purpose
To support families with children under five
Funding
The centre has a core budget of about £250,000 a year
Background
Bemerton Children's Centre, near King's Cross station in London, opened in 2004 as part of the first wave of children's centres. Run by Islington Council, it serves one of the most deprived areas in the country, with the proportion of workless families at 23 per cent. Despite local challenges, it is always full and has a "major influence on community life", reveals its latest Ofsted report, which rates it "outstanding" across the board.
Action
According to Islington's head of early years, Penny Kenway, Bemerton's success is down to its excellent relationships with local families, strong partnership work and, crucially, "inspirational" leadership from head of centre Gilles Shewell.
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