Memorandum submitted by Fordingbridge and District Community Association in Hampshire

 

As information has been requested about the impact of the Sure Start Children's Centres on the local community I am sending these comments on behalf of the Fordingbridge and District Community Association in Hampshire.

 

Our feeling is that the Children's Centre does not provide value for money in our area, although we accept that it may do so in places where there is less available in the community. The role seems to be purely one of signposting for parents plus some social events, rather than money being put where it is really needed, with the providers of services to children. We were disappointed first that it only provides for 0-5 year olds. Then it has affected provision of other facilities in the community, For example, the toddler group which met twice weekly in the community centre in association with the preschool there, now meets only once and then attendance is half what it was, due to a mother and toddler session at the Children's Centre. This group is the feeder for the preschool which will suffer, although one or two mothers have been referred from the Centre. The Community Centre where it meets will also lose revenue if this closes. It is already losing customers (mothers and toddlers) who used to attend a weekly drop-in coffee morning -funded initially by the local authority, and so losing money. Given the enormous cost of the newly-built facility at the school and the staff costs which dwarf the staff cost at the community centre, we do not feel that this is a service which is necessary to the community or which could not have been provided much more economically, with the money going, for example, into funding the very overstretched Health Visitor. If she could see more children and assess development more regularly, we think it would be of far more benefit to the children, as well as being more likely to pick up cases of abuse. As I said, this may be a necessary service in some areas but is not a good use of public money here where the community already provides for young mothers and their children.

 

Wendy Cracknell

Hon Treasurer

October 2009