More children's centres on the cards in Royal Borough

Fri, 09 May 2008 14:51:12

Seven more children’s centres could be up and running in the borough within the next two years, bringing the total to 13 by March 2010.

That’s the recommendation going to cabinet later this month (May 22), after members of the children’s services overview and scrutiny panel on Thursday (May 8) gave the thumbs-up to proposals for the development of Phase 3 children’s centre areas.

Children’s centres – one-stop shops for services for families with young children – are proposed for three areas in Maidenhead – Maidenhead Nursery School, Larchfield and Pinkneys Green – as well as Old Windsor, Eton Wick, Datchet, and Broom Farm in Windsor.

These have been identified as areas for potential children’s centres based on factors ranging from income, employment, health, education, crime and geographical access to services.

Cllr Eileen Quick, lead member for children’s services, said: “Our existing children’s centres provide excellent services for many families with young children, thanks to some very effective joint working with our partner agencies.

“I am delighted that now we are going to extend this provision to other areas of the borough, particularly where specific needs have been identified. 

“Parenting is never easy – and it is vitaI that we provide easily-accessible support services which demonstrate to parents that help is at hand when it is needed.”

The new centres would join the six existing children’s centres in Woodlands Park Village, Ellington School and St Mark’s Hospital in Maidenhead, the Lawns Nursery and the Dedworth School site in Windsor, and South Ascot in providing a range of integrated children’s services including:
· Children’s Information Service – information displays and sessions, focussed events and outreach work
· parenting programmes
· employment support – including return-to-work and benefits advice
· family support sessions with social workers to address parental concerns
· baby clinics providing family health programmes
· speech and language drop-in clinics
· support for childminders through training and drop-in sessions.