London,
09
June
2015
|
16:21
Europe/London

Early years consultation

A borough-wide consultation on changes to early education, childcare and children’s centres is under way, as part of a new Camden Sure Start approach to services for children aged 0 to five and their families.

Building on the principles of the national Sure Start programme, the Council would continue investing £25.5 million a year into providing early years services, limiting savings to £1.5 million.

By 2017 Camden Council’s funding from central government will be halved compared with 2010. This means making tough choices about the services we provide so our investment has the biggest positive impact on children’s lives.

Our aim is to ensure children have the best start in life and for us to focus resources on children and families with the greatest need. We would provide early education and childcare (nursery) places in all our current children’s centres, while children’s centre services - including drop-in / stay and play sessions - would run from different venues according to local need.

The proposals mean changes to some children’s centre services from 2016 and changes to how families will be able to take up Council-provided early education and childcare places, which would begin in September 2015. No children’s centre buildings would close.

Find out more and have your say

Consultation events:

Agar Children’s Centre, Wrotham Road, NW1 9SU - Thursday 11 June, 2 to 3pm and Monday 29 June, 8 to 9am

1a Children’s Centre, 1a Rosebery Avenue, EC1R 4SR - Friday 12 June, 2 to 3pm

Regent’s Park Children’s Centre, Augustus Street, NW1 3TJ – Tuesday 16 June, 10 to 11am

The Crowndale Centre (2nd floor), 218 Eversholt Street, NW1 1BD – Monday 22 June, 6.30 to 7.30pm.