Children's Centres - Looking to the Future. Providers, Service Partners and Staff Have Your Say
Feedback updated 13 Oct 2021
We asked
The consultation asked people their views and comments on the proposal to remodel the 23 children's centres into six clusters as service delivery points for children and their parents and carers.
You said
Responses to the public consultation came in from parents from every children’s centre, with a range of number of responses. Responses told us the services that were most important; the most important time that to access services, and the most important services for the future.
We did
Over 1,900 responses have been received from the public, which, together with responses from staff, schools and partner agencies, have influenced the development of the redesign, including how the clusters of centres are configured and how the centres will focus the delivery of activities, support and services to best improve outcomes for children. Following the support of the Children, Young People and Schools Scrutiny Commission, an Executive Decision Report was presented to the Assistant City Mayor - Children, Young People and Schools, who approved the proposals to remodel the 23 children's centres into six clusters.
Results updated 5 Jun 2014
The feedback from the public consultation has helped us shape the future services for Leicester's Children's Centres. Our findings of what you told us are found in the attached document.
Files:
- Leicester's Children's Centres - Looking to the Future - Consultation Findings.pdf, 384.7 KB (PDF document)
Links:
Overview
Leicester City Council currently has 23 children’s centres providing services to families and children across the city. The children’s centres deliver a range of activities and services which include group activities for children and parents/carers. These activities and services focus on learning, health, well-being and community engagement, and are delivered in the home, the community and schools.
What we are consulting on?
- The times that children’s centres should be open for service delivery
- Which children’s centre activities are most important for families
- Whether the proposed changes will affect families wishing to accessing children’s centres
- The potential effects of children’s centre area changes
Why your views matter
Following the government’s most recent spending review announcement, the grant that includes funding for children’s centres has been reduced by £4.4 million. In order to protect services for the most vulnerable and maintain some universal services, the council now needs to make changes to the way children’s centres are run.
What does this mean for Leicester?
We want to create an affordable network of children’s centres, this can be achieved by:
- Keeping all 23 children’s centres open as ‘delivery sites’, allowing children, parents and carers to continue accessing services
- Clustering children’s centres into 6 groups. See map showing proposed children’s centre cluster network areas
- Employing flexible staff and resource arrangements across the 23 delivery buildings
- Reducing management costs at the centres.
- Working with local community groups and agencies to enable them to deliver activities through children’s centres that will contribute to children’s development and well-being.
- Tailoring opening hours to when families use them most, with some centres having reduced opening times.
- Ensuring that families in greatest need are able to access support and services from any of the centres as they choose
- Recognising that there will be reduced levels of activities delivered in areas of less need, whilst ensuring that vulnerable children and families in those areas continue to receive support and services.
What will change as a result?
We will look to you for your views in delivering an affordable children’s centre network, and incorporate your concerns and aspirations into the decisions to the maximum extent possible.
Areas
- Abbey
- Aylestone
- Beaumont Leys
- Belgrave
- Braunstone Park & Rowley Fields
- Castle
- Evington
- Eyres Monsell
- Fosse
- Humberstone & Hamilton
- Knighton
- Rushey Mead
- Saffron
- Spinney Hills
- Stoneygate
- Thurncourt
- Westcotes
Audiences
- Faith groups
- Sports clubs
- Youth clubs
- Carers' network
- Trade unions
- Voluntary organisations
- Community organisations
- Self-help groups
- User groups
- Third sector infrastructure groups
- All Voluntary and Community Organisations
- Advocacy organisation
- Police
- NHS
- FE colleges
- Universities
- Schools
- Businesses
- All Public and Private Organisations
- Directors
- Heads of service
- Managers, team leaders and supervisors
- Professionals
Interests
- Schools
- Children's social care and safeguarding
- Services for young people
- Services for younger children and families
- Education and children's services
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