Buckinghamshire children's centres' development recognised
Date: 16-03-2010
The first 24 children’s centres opened in Buckinghamshire have been recognised as all having reached the final stage of development. Buckinghamshire is one of the first local authorities in the south east to reach this milestone for its first wave of centres.
This final stage, known as ‘full core offer’ status, is awarded based on the wide range of activities and services the centres provide for children and their families.
These services include drop-in fun play activities, help with finding childcare and early learning services, family support services and activities, child and family health services, active parental involvement and partnership agreements with local service providers.
The 24 centres, which comprise the first two waves of development, started opening their doors between 2006 and 2008 and are now fully operational, having developed services that meet the needs of the communities in which they are based.
Parents and carers of children under 5 are encouraged to fully participate in the future development of these centres by contributing their thoughts and ideas on what services should be delivered through each centre’s Parents Forum.
Children’s centres help to support families and carers of under 5s. They help families to access advice and support in communities across Buckinghamshire. There are 35 centres in total across the county.
Marion Clayton, Cabinet Member for Achievement, Learning and Skills, said: “This is an absolutely superb result for the 24 children’s centres involved and it reflects the dedication and hard work of the staff and partner organisations to achieve this status. All of our 35 centres are fully committed to the children, parents and carers they work with and they provide a combination of education, care, family support and health services which is key to ensuring that our young children get the best start in life.”
Find out more about what children’s centres have to offer by contacting the Buckinghamshire Family Information Service by phone on 0845 688 4944 (9.30am – 4.30pm Monday to Friday), email familyinfo@buckscc.gov.uk, visit www.bucksfamilyinfo.org or text 07786 202920 with your question. You can also find your nearest children’s centre by visiting this link:
http://childrenscentresfinder.direct.gov.uk/childrenscentresfinder/
