Bricklaying, joinery and painting may not be what most people associatewith a child care centre. But try telling that to the 10 women who useHighfield Children's Centre in Sunderland and are half way through acourse on basic DIY skills (Children Now, 6-12 June).
The Sure Start centre is not alone in extending its services to offerspecial classes to parents. Other centres around England are seeing, andmeeting, the need for courses to help parents achieve more and in somecases get fit and healthy.
The aim of the Government's Sure Start programme is to provide betteroutcomes for children and parents through increasing childcare,improving health and social development of children and supportingparents. Now some centres are taking the role a step further.
The idea to start up a DIY course for mothers at the HighfieldChildren's Centre came from community development worker Judi Bevan. Sheknew courses were taught at a local school and got in touch with thetutor.
The course was then set up as a partnership between the centre, trainingprovider Etec and Sunderland Housing Group, which many of the women rentproperties through and which also has a policy that they must maintaintheir homes.
Skills learned during the course include bricklaying, making a shelf andlearning how to replace a door.
One of the students has been so inspired she has decided to apply tocollege to gain a formal qualification in bricklaying.
Bevan says: "They have learned a new skill, one of them is following itup to make a career. They have made new friends and they have realisedthat they can do things that they never thought they could do."
Other opportunities at the centre include a creche workers course and ateaching assistant course. Highfield has also just offered its parents acultural awareness course where they learned henna painting, hairbraiding and Indian head massage.
At Thorplands Sure Start Children's Centre in Northamptonshire parentswill soon be able to take part in a pilates class while their childrenattend a creche.
Sue Strus, deputy manager at Thorplands, says: "We have just done ahealthy eating class where parents learned about cooking healthy food ona budget."
Food is high on the list of services offered by the Sure Start CentralLink Children's Centre in St Helens. It has two projects running, akitchen garden and the Tots Allotment. Both projects are unique becausethey are primarily used by dads, although families do go along too.
The centre has been instrumental in getting these projects under way andapproached the local horticultural society to use an area of theirallotment. There is also a play area on the site.
Jackie Law, manager of the St Helens centre, explains: "It's open onSaturdays and does attract a lot of dads who aren't around during theweek. Children and parents can come and learn about the environment andalso there's a play opportunity so they have that quality time aswell."
One of the more serious courses offered by a Sure Start centre tacklesdomestic violence. The course at the Sure Start centre at Rood End,Oldbury in the West Midlands is not only available to parents, but staffand volunteers as well.
Over six weeks the course covers what constitutes domestic violence, theeffects of domestic violence on family members, patterns of behaviour ofabusers and victims, and recognising the warning signs.
Sheila Jacks, senior administrator at the centre, says: "The course wasin response to the increase in referrals in the number of familiesaffected by domestic violence and from working with women refuges."
Ten women have signed up to the six week course and once the traininghas finished it will be evaluated to see if it will be carried outagain. Jacks says the centre is always looking at courses that arerelated to the work it does.
Jan Stoll, UK service development manager, supporting families atchildren's charity NCH, says the extension of services offered by SureStart centres means they are meeting the needs of their users.
"I think it's about ensuring that we provide things that really do meetlocal needs. It's also important to keep on top of things because thelocal population and needs change," she says.
"It's important to keep refreshing, it's part of that central evaluationin terms of service improvement."
SURE START
- By 2008 there will be a network of 2,500 Sure Start children'scentres
- By 2010 there will be 3,500 of the centres to allow every familyaccess to integrated services in their community.
