44 Staffordshire children's centres to be axed
Forty-four children's centres across Staffordshire – including all 23 based at schools – are to close under new plans to shake up under-fives' provision.
Pre-school youngsters will instead be catered for in community centres, village halls – or even in in their own homes if necessary.
Children's services bosses say the move is aimed at reaching vulnerable families who would most benefit from pre-school provision but are not using the service.
See also: Ofsted chiefs: More Staffordshire centres require improvement.
They describe it as a 'change of culture', needed to narrow the gap between achieving and poorly performing youngsters.
Figures for the county show that only 54 per cent of children are judged to have reached a good stage of development by the end of their first year at school.
County Councillor Mike Lawrence, cabinet member for children's services, said: "That is two per cent above the national average but it still means we are failing 46 per cent of youngsters and that's abysmal."
See also: Anger as council covers over playground.
The new system will be cheaper to provide but the authority insists the proposed change is being driven by a desire to improve performance rather than to save money.
The council needs to cut £102 million from its budget over the next five years.
Mr Lawrence said: "I'm spending £46 million on children's services and only reaching 25 per cent of the population – and only 25 per cent of those are children from a deprived background, who are the ones we really want to help.
"That's not sustainable. We want to shift the culture and go out into the community and provide these services in places that parents will bring their children. If they want, we will come to their homes."
How could a greater proportion of Staffordshire children be reached? Leave your comments below.
There are currently 54 children's centres in Staffordshire – 26 are dedicated children's centres, 23 are based at schools and the others are in buildings such as libraries. Ten dedicated centres will be retained but all the other buildings will be vacated.
Cannock Chase's children's centre is expected to stay but Bridgtown's is being looked at for other uses. Hednesford, Huntington and Norton Canes are to transfer to schools.
The cabinet will decide next Wednesday whether to approve an eight-week consultation on the proposed changes.
