The appalling state of Children's Centres

[Pumkinpiecrazy]

My niece is due to have a baby next month. I offered to take her to Baby Weigh at the Children's centre in the early weeks. I said I'd have a look and find where her local Children's centre was.

I'm really appaled at the state of the service now. When mine were little we had multiple groups per day at our local centre, courses, groups for school children in the holidays, I know they did a lot of outreach too.

Baby weigh is now by appointment once a month at the library. The local centre has a couple of drop in sessions per week for older babies/toddlers. There is a baby group but realistically too far away for her to access.

It's such a shame. In my time we had a world class service to massively benefit children. I remember the figures on how breast feeding had increased in our area due to the fantastic support group. But the Tories have destroyed it all.

Is it the same in your area?
Am I being unreasonable that this is a very sad state of affairs.

YANBU as yes, funding to these places has been carved up. But it’s a postcode lottery - my local centre has a nursery and hosts free classes, clinics and drop-ins, plus the midwife clinic and the health visitor hub, and there’s always something going on.

can I ask why you need to take her to weigh in? The midwives should be talking care of that for the first couple of weeks, and then the health visitor, who should then make further visits if there’s cause for concern.

the medical team will make arrangements for weighing if required, but it rarely is necessary once feeding is established - my medical team for my second were completely confused when I asked about weighing, simply doesn’t happen weekly there, instead you have an appointment before discharge from the hospital, another at 2 weeks then another at 8, all at the health centre, seems to work fine.

sure start centres were cut under the previous government and as you aware, councils have had their funding cut to the bone

I haven’t used any because I’m just the solitary type. But from what I’ve seen there are classes on two of the weekdays, 2 sessions on both days for smaller and bigger babies. So IMO a good service? I do think maternity and children’s services is a postcode lottery though.

Yes I’ve also been surprised when talking to relatives or friends with young babies. When my DC was little every area seemed to have a surestart centre with loads of groups every week. Our local library has also closed down so that’s not an option for groups either. As a young mum on a tight budget I loved having free groups to attend.

Lots of my friends with babies now do lots of paid groups, some surprisingly expensive!

funding has been dangerously cut

Maybe it has all changed then. When I had my babies you took them to be weighed every week in the early days...usually less for your 2nd! 😂 So baby weigh clinics isn't a thing anymore? I assumed the once monthly 'health clinic' was baby weigh.

Makes me feel old! So it's all changed then! I'll offer to take her to a baby group then if we can find a local one.

My baby was healthy but small. Taking her to be weighed and seeing she was gaining weight while EBF was essential for keeping my confidence up so I could keep going in the early days.

blame the tories for cuts to surestart.

That's nothing to how it used to be.

I agree OP. When mine were little they were great. You could drop in any day, chat to someone, get baby weighed, breast feeding support etc. there was a cafe and I’d often go just to sit and chat to people.
Bloody lifeline. Mothers are so isolated now, and everything is behind a screen.
It’s really important people SEE mothers and babies. I remember one of the district nurses identifying sonething I hadn’t noticed, just because I was there. It’s not just essential for mothers to have these services, it’s also safeguarding for babies.

I did a private group with my youngest and it was super expensive. Not something my niece could afford. I could perhaps pay for something if necessary. In my day she would have been able to attend a course for new mums, baby weigh, breastfeeding support group and baby group every week and more as the baby got bigger. Was good to have somewhere to get out of the house.

Have you forgotten Austerity? The Tories got rid of Sure Start as soon as they could.

When I had my first I struggled a lot in the early days but having baby weigh where I could speak to a health visitor every week really helped!

They are shit. Ours allowed siblings with chickenpox (definitely not crusted over) in while babies were weighed… i never went again.

Thankfully (or not?) I'm in a deprived city with quite a lot on for families/babies, but I don't know how easy weighing clinics are to access because I've never tried. I know that in the surrounding towns there's very little provision for young families so it's probably a bit of a postcode lottery.

Lifeline - absolutely! It was a real community. I liked the way people from all backgrounds could access it. The staff were nursery nurses and really helpful with any advice you needed. The breastfeeding group was run by qualified staff alongside some peer supporters. I remember you'd go in and sit in a rocking chair to feed your baby and they'd make you a cup of tea and then go round chatting to everyone, helping with anything.

Ah, I knew it was obviously destroyed by the Tories but I honestly didn't realise how bad it was not having little children anymore.

This.

It was all from New Labour, which cost too much for the Tories 😢

I know its absolutely not a substitute for children's centres, but many churches run weekly baby and toddler groups which are either free or just cost a pound or two, so that's an option if you just need to get out and about cheaply. Most have no Christian content at all - its just play, a snack and a singsong. I loved them when I was an SAHP.

This is another area where libraries are going to be missed. I've been lucky to always live in areas with decent libraries and they're great for free story time / rhyme time type stuff.

That doesn't sound good!

I’m my area we have five but are part of the new pilot scheme and are now called family hubs.

the healthy child programme states babies should be weighed monthly for the first 6 months and two monthly between 6-12 months.

our family hubs offer all the services such as outreach, breastfeeding network, home start, stay and play, baby massage, sensory etc.

the problem is, I think there were only a few areas across the country where the investment was implemented which as a previous poster states makes it a postcode lottery!

I had a baby in 2014 and another one in 2021. There was so much more available in 2014.

We used to go to this kind of thing too. They always had quite a 'dusty' feel. Lots of fond memories, though. I will have a look at local churches too, thanks.

You get a lot of sneering about baby groups on here but I remember them as a real lifeline for my mental health with my first baby. I'm glad your niece has someone kind looking out for her at this stage.

That sounds great. Hopefully now Children's centres might start getting better again.