Frequently Asked Questions
Children's Centres
How many children’s centres do you have?
Staffordshire has 54 Children’s Centres that have been developed over three phases. There are six phase 1 Children’s Centres, and there are 48 phase 2 and 3 Children’s Centres which range from rooms on school sites, to mobile buses and new purpose built premises.
How many are you planning to keep?
Currently there are no proposals to reduce Children’s Centres.
What are you changing?
Our current proposals are intendedto improve the way we deliver Children’s Centre services. The direction we have been given from government is about families using services early and receiving the right help to be good parents. The priority continues to be giving children the best start in life.
Why are you changing?
The county council is changing the way public services are delivered. This ‘new way of working’ includes commissioning services based on need and creating opportunities for our partners in other sectors including the third sector. There has also been a reduction in funding allocated to local authorities and all preventative services are co-ordinated across a 0 – 19 funding allocation.
Will you expect parents to pay for activities?
Many Children’s Centre activities are free whilst some charge for activities ranging from 50p to £1.50. Our current proposals do not include increasing any charges.
How many staff will you get rid of?
The level of staffing at each children’s centre will reflect the number of children using the nursery, this may mean that some staff are redeployed to other roles, could face redundancy or may have TUPE arrangements with a new organisation however the number of staff that could be in this situation is not yet clear.
Will there be fewer services available?
There will not be fewer services available but we intend to work more closely with other early year’s providers such as health services and childcare providers and we will be offering more variety for parents and children in most need.
I’ve been coming to see my health visitor at a Children’s Centre – will that change?
No this will be not change, if fact you may be able to see more health professionals in the children’s centres very soon.
Childcare
What are you doing to childcare?
The county council has a legal duty to ensure that there is sufficient childcare to meet the needs of working parents. It fulfils this duty by:
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Regularly listening to the views of parents and childcare providers so that there is good understanding of childcare needs and issues across the county.
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Working with private, voluntary and independent (PVI) childcare providers so that provision is high quality and responsive to needs.
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Providing childcare through seven Children’s Centres across the county.
This consultation is on a proposal by the County Council to change its role so that it no longer directly provides childcare in Children’s Centres and instead works with PVI providers so that they provide the childcare.
What will happen if my child is in a children’s centre nursery?
The proposed changes would mean that your child would continue to receive childcare at the children’s centre nursery. The fact that there is a different provider should not mean that your child’s nursery experience is significantly different.
What will happen if it turns out that it is not possible to make the necessary agreements with PVI to take over the childcare in some or all of the children’s centres, would this mean that I would be unable to find childcare in my area?
The county council has a legal duty to make sure that there is a sufficient supply of childcare to meet the needs of working parents and parents that are in training that will lead to employment. You can therefore rest assured that the county council would take the appropriate actions to make sure that sufficient childcare was available.
What will happen to the nursery staff?
If the proposed changes were accepted it would mean that the nursery staff transfer to the provider that takes over the running of the children’s centre childcare.
Will alternative services be available?
Thinking just about childcare, in Staffordshire most childcare is provided by privately run childcare businesses, there are also voluntary groups and independent providers. Parents can find out about the options available to them from the Family Information Service (0300 111 8007).
Will alternative services be the same price and open on the same hours?
Not necessarily, it is down to childcare providers to set fees and decide on opening hours, these decisions will be responsive to the needs of the market.
Consultation process
When will all the changes happen?
The changes that happen after being agreed and will start to be implemented from Summer 2012.
Are you consulting?
Yes we have identified an eight week consultation period for all stakeholders starting in January.
Are you prepared to make changes as a result of consultation?
Yes this is the whole reason for the consultation; we intend to use ideas from staff, parents and children and others in the community who want to be involved. All ideas will be discussed and then decisions made based on the best way forward.
What opportunities will busy parents have to consult?
There will be many opportunities from online questionnaires to briefing sessions across the county at different times.
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