Data collected by the government from all local authorities in England reveals that at the 8 September this year, there were 3,507 children’s centres, 124 fewer than the 3,631 recorded in April 2010.
While the government said the figure included services that had been reconfigured or merged, campaigners said many areas are only just beginning to plan for large-scale changes ahead of April next year.
Megan Pacey, chief executive of Early Education, said her charity’s research as well as that of charity 4Children and shadow children’s minister Sharon Hodgson showed the picture was likely to get worse in the next financial year.
"We have lots of children’s centres and schools that are having to look at what they do in the next year to make the books balance," she said. "If they have been protected or buffered this year then they are currently planning how to make those difficult decisions, which involves cutting services, cutting the number of people they are able to offer it to.
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