Parents urge government to protect Haringey's Sure Start centres

Haringey Council’s cabinet voted to accept cuts to children’s centres, which are likely to see four centres close, but final approval has been postponed until next week after concerns were raised that the cuts contradict the borough’s children’s trust and preventative strategy as well as the children and young people plan.

The petition blames the government for the cuts and states that the local council is being made a scapegoat for decisions taken centrally.

More than 1,000 signatures were collected before the document was sent to Gove.

The petition states: "This government talks of local choices, but in the case of Haringey children’s services this is unhelpful and irresponsible. The local council has been tasked with impossible decisions and is just a scapegoat.

"We, the undersigned, believe that the proposed cuts and the substantial rise in childcare fees will destroy the structured and professional early years intervention that has been shown to make a significant difference; negatively impact on the life chances and social mobility of Haringey children; and disproportionately affect working women with young children."

Daisy Heath, who is co-ordinating the campaign, urged for funding for Sure Start to be ringfenced.

"It is disingenuous of the Secretary of State for Education to consistently talk about his commitment to early years and Sure Start while not ringfencing any of the funding. This petition and campaign seeks to draw attention to the hypocrisy at the heart of the coalition's policies on children and working families."