Each one is different, but all bring together early years education,childcare, support and health services in a way that is revolutionisinglife for children and their families in some of the most disadvantagedareas.
The Broadwater Farm children's centre in Haringey, north London, wasopened on the 20th anniversary of the Broadwater Farm "riots" - to markthe regeneration of the local estate. The centre provides 100 childcareplaces for children up to five in a new building with attractive outdoorplay areas developed in the grounds of Broadwater Farm PrimarySchool.
The centre grew out of a partnership between the school, local SureStart programme and community groups, supported by the London Borough ofHaringey, and offers community space for training courses, drop-ins andcreches as well as an after-school club.
A local planning group united the key partners and funding from theNeighbourhood Nursery Initiative, regeneration budgets, the Sure Startlocal programme, and children's centre capital and revenue money to makeit possible.
The 1st Place children and parents centre on the Aylesbury estate inSouthwark, south London, is due to open soon, with beautiful premisesaround a central piazza and an innovative outdoor area. The newbuilding, funded by Sure Start and the New Deal for Communities schemeamong others, will provide 50 daycare places for children under five,out-of-school care for 20 children, and drop-in, training andvolunteering opportunities for local parents. There will also be aBananas on the Beach area designed by local parents, an ecology garden,an environmental education centre, and much more.
It will offer an innovative approach, based on the Italian Reggio Emiliamodel, as "the place where children and parents come first". The centredeveloped out of the Aylesbury Sure Start local programme, and bringstogether a wide range of services. The partnership board for theprogramme transformed itself into a company limited by guarantee withcharitable status, chaired by a parent, which now runs the children andparent's centre.
New children's centres are offering amazing new resources for childrenand families. The challenge now is to roll out the rest of the 3,500 tothe highest quality and push again to win the case for these to beavailable for all children and families in every community.
