Sure Start survey reveals seven per cent of centres could close
Janaki Mahadevan
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Up to seven per cent of Sure Start children's centres could close within a year, while thousands will be forced to cut back services, a survey has revealed.
Conducted by 4Children and the Daycare Trust, the survey of children’s centre managers across England, found that over the next 12 months seven per cent of respondents said they will be forced to close, while 56 per cent will have to provide a reduced service.
A total of 917 managers took part in the survey and, according to the charities' projections based on the results, 3,100 centres across the country will have a decreased budget, while staff at 1,000 centres have been issued "at risk of redundancy notices".
Anne Longfield, chief executive of 4Children, said: "Families across the country, particularly the most vulnerable, depend on Sure Start children’s centres to help get their children off to the best start in life. We know that local authorities have some extremely difficult spending decisions to make but investment now will lead to real savings in the long term.
"Councils need to find new ways to ensure children’s centres earn their keep by allowing them to become genuine hubs for all children and families services in communities; reducing replication and improving impacts."
Responding to the findings, Frank Field, the government’s adviser on poverty and life chances, urged councils to find innovative ways of supporting children’s centres.
"It is inconceivable that we can make the foundation years effective if children’s centres all over the place are being slaughtered," he said. "Local authorities must seek to employ innovative methods to ensure families, especially the poorest families, do not lose the vital support they need."
Anand Shukla, acting chief executive of Daycare Trust, said communities will be devastated if children’s centres close. "Behind every children’s centre facing closure is a community of families devastated at losing one of their most valued local services.
"The tragedy of these cuts is that the full extent of Sure Start’s impact on children’s development will only be achieved in the long term — and the impending closure of so many centres means this investment will not be fully realised."
