About children and family centres

[Trimummy3]

We have several children and family centres round my way. They are I think run by council with some nhs involvement.

Finding has been cut over years so services like weigh in for your baby happens at fewer of them now.

Having my second kid, I’ve really noticed how crap they have become.

It’s summer holiday, we are bored (none of my kids go to school yet) so thought I would pop to one for a play. There was literally nothing to do! The play room was shut to public and it’s slways like that apart from a dedicated 3 hours a week when you can play as part of a session.

They offer a few sessions that I can’t go to... one for childminders, one for older kids, one for weaning mums (I’ve done that now). There is just one breastfeeding session a week, not enough in my opinion.

I just don’t get why there’s several buildings in my town that are filled with nice toys, have great play equipment outside. That I cannot access for free play. They pay some lady on reception to tell me that the centre is open but there’s nothing to do until the “learning thru play” session on Friday.

I’m my opinion the funded centres should be open each morning for free play, access to the garden, chat with other mums...

We have problems in this country with low rates of breastfeeding, childhood obesity, post natal depression...

I believe if the service from these places was better, it would help to tackle the issues above.

We went home and watched tv on a rainy morning instead. Of course the few sessions that were on this week are cancelled anyway because it’s the summer holidays. I don’t agree with that either.

It's terrible. We have a sure start centre. When dd was first born I went along to baby social once a week where baby could be weighed and basically just sat with other parents supporting each other and having some adult time. They have now stopped baby social. Can still go along for weigh in, all the toys are still there but no professional support in the room and you can only stay until baby has been weighed.

I feel like this has cut off a support line to new parents, this group gave me something to look forward to and probably kept me sane in the early days. It was also a good chance to discuss your concerns with other parents and have the over arching input of a professional however helpful that was.

A friend volunteered to run it independently, the centre is open at the usual time I guess they just don't have the extra body to sit in the room, but was told no.

Such a waste and the loss of a lifeline to some.

'I believe if the service from these places was better, it would help to tackle the issues above'.

Well, you are right, but the funding has been cut. It's not the fault of the staff.

It's not just sad, it's fucking stupid.

The point of Sure Start was to get kids school ready- to bridge the attainment gap between some groups of kids.

This gap persists right through to uni.

Yet, we voted for this st the last election. Can't really complain, can we?

All of our surestart groups were stopped a couple of years ago where I am. They now have some sessions run by volunteers, which is better than nothing, but it's not the same as the surestart sessions (the surestart staff would always make an effort to reach out and chat to parents that seemed to be struggling, but most of the volunteers to be honest spend most of the sessions chatting amongst themselves). I don't mean that negatively against the volunteers either as it's amazing of them to give up their time to run toddler groups, but I'm just saying it's not providing the same level of support that the suretstart services were doing.

Unfortunately the country keeps voting Tory, and so public services will keep being cut.

Funding has been sadly decimated. I volunteer at local children centres here and we historically have always funded our centres well but even here they are being decimated and what does run has to be evidenced to within an inch of its life.

Such a waste of resources, lovely purpose built centres but no money for staff

When my DC were born 15-10 years ago I was referred to one of these for support with PND.

There were groups supported by staff - creches for the babies and the supported play sessions at times in the week, I saw parents e.g. a single dad with a child with cerebral palsy- getting support, also structured play sessions run by staff with hot snacks on other days.

For me, they told me could drop in anytime for a cup of tea and a chat and to breastfeed if stressed out and about. I rarely used it but was gad the offer was there. During my time there I sae how helpful it was to people

Over time volunteers helped and things changed, building changed and now I think is closed. It is a shame as it was supporting some vulnerable people and wonder what happens now to those people.

There is likely still a lot happening there but most will be by referral only as they can't offer a universal service. So they'll be groups and classes running still.
The buildings are also used by other agencies such as CAMHS and social care for meetings and sessions so there's probably a lot going on that isn't widely advertised but it is still massively shit that they can't offer the services they were designed to.

All the reasons people cite for not voting labour seem a bit pathetic compared to this.

Two out of the four secondaries here have been down graded in the last few years- from outstanding to inadequate in one case.

Education really isn't a priority for the Tories or right wing in general- it might produce experts and everyone is sick of those.

Can you tell I'm a bit jaded?

Have to revert to those church run toddler groups I imagine, they used to continue to run in the summer holidays when mine were little.

yes, blame the Tories

we all cannot wait to see how labour would magically turn around the economy of this country, funding would just drop out of thin air and we would all live a life of plenty, whilst the naughty Tories are either hiding or willingly preventing a blooming economy.

-or maybe if Labour hadn't messed things up so badly, we wouldn't have to witness so many drastic cuts!

YANBU
There used to be an amazing surestart centre in the nearby very multicultural city. My friend, I and a few others used to drive there and we mixed with local women, many of whom were in a less privileged situation. It was nice to come out of my bubble and meet real people. I feel for those families. Surestart for some was a lifeline. It was for me too as I was very ill and this was an activity my dd could participate in, where I didn’t need to have lots of energy because it was enclosed and safe. Poor kids. So much lost potential.

I have to say though, at ours when there were staff it was terribly inefficient. I remember a nursery rhyme session where there were 4 staff members just sitting down singing the song, no interaction with anyone and totally bored out of their minds.
They could have used those staff members much more efficiently on different sessions etc.
Also, the space sitting empty is awful and they should rent it out eg for birthday parties at weekends - bring some income in to help.

It is awful and it’s because funding was cut and there is no money.
Like previous posters have said - groups like this across the country are now run by volunteers. There are a few stay and play groups open in my area over the summer holidays - all at different local churches and run by volunteers.

It’s a travesty. Don’t vote for the Tories is the only answer.

@SeriouslyEnoughAlreadyRantOver

Tories magic money tree works fine when it comes to tax cuts. At least it did according to BJ recently.

Back in the day, One O’clock Clubs were open either every morning, afternoon or even all day. I made some of my best friends there, My children are still in contact with theirs. Just googled one that I used to go to, it’s only open 1 afternoon a week now

If they’re paying for the upkeep of the building etc then why not actually open them??

Suppose they are run by the council so council culture will pervade depending on area. There’s a lot of procrastination where I live now - so frustrating

If there a 4 staff in a group then some will be volunteers.
Renting out the building at weekends would require staffing it.

Our local centre is attached to DD1s school and also had a private (council run) nursery attached which she attended from 18 months. It was rated OFSTED outstanding and the DCs and parents loved it. As well as the nursery was the usual Surestart plays groups, drop ins, etc.

When then cuts were introduced the private nursery was the first to go, leaving only the free places for 2 and 3 year olds. A public meeting was held and they simply wouldn't entertain keeping it going, a private firm even offered to take over.

It's now a shadow of its former self, an offshoot of the main 'Hub' which is a bus ride away and seems to get most of the money, theres a handful of groups a week, skeleton staff who are utterly miserable, and a great deal of the building going to waste.

We all found other nurseries and playgroups to go to, however what I found the most upsetting was the lifeline that some people were losing, there were women in tears at that meeting, the centre has helped them in ways that I didn't realise whether it was breastfeeding, PND, DCs behaviour issues, support for DV, budgeting advice, the range was endless and it's truly a shame. Where do these people turn to now?

Not sure if One O’clocks are run on the same basis as children’s centres though.

Had another baby last year and was attending baby clinic at my local children’s centre but was told NOT to bring her back after baby was 6 months old. She won’t see another health visitor until her 10 month check. That’s a gap of 4 months, do they not need to check on the welfare of my little one 🤷🏻‍♀️?!

Our children's centre activities were cut pre-tories. And the fact you have to fill in a 6 page registration form to get through the door isn't conducive to a drop in session!

@AaaaaaarghhhWhereAreMyKeys to be fair no they don't need to check on a child between 6 and 10 months. If you have pressing concerns you can contact them but for 99% of babies there is no need for them to be seen or weighed in that time scale

A friend of mine managed one when it opened, she had some fantastic sum of I think £26K springs to mind to spend on toys and activities.
She did some good things like run family cooking sessions, showing how to make basic meals wholesome and cost effective from scratch

Funding cuts, thanks Tories.

I’ve never been to one personally. I always recommend the app Hoop to find free or cheap activities in your local area.

I am on the other side of the discussion. People want the facilities but no one wants to volunteer/take on responsibility. Getting people to commit to regular attendance is hard. I have been running one (and renting the premises) for the last 6 years. My youngest is now starting school and I am going back to work at the same time. No one was willing to take on the playgroup without a salary (I never took a salary and did lots of prep/research on an evening). Lots of 'oh it's so sad' comments though.

If you want something, start it. Ask the churches, libraries, cafes. Ask a few mums. Join forces.

It's important, for the little ones, and the parents.