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Show all answers | Hide all answers- What are Children's Centres?
- Children's Centres provide multi-agency services that are flexible and meet the needs of young children and their families. The core offer includes integrated early learning, care, family support, health services, outreach services to children and families not attending the Centre and access to training and employment advice. Children's Centres are models of multi-agency and partnership working. At the heart of a centre is high quality learning and full day care for children from birth.
- What are the aims of the Children's Centres programme?
- The Government intends that the provision of good quality integrated services should have broad and lasting impact on children, their parents and the wider community. Children's Centres contribute towards the Government's commitment to:
the best start in life for every child;
better opportunities for parents;
affordable, good quality childcare;
stronger and safer communities.
The Children's Centre programme is based on the concept that providing integrated education, care, family support and health services are key factors in determining good outcomes for children and their parents.
The concept itself is not a new one. Children's Centres are about building on existing good practice, rather than starting afresh. A significant number of families with young children already benefit from good quality integrated services. Children's Centres enhance these services and extend the benefits to more families - bringing an integrated approach to service delivery to areas where it is most needed.
- What services will be provided in Children's Centres?
- Children's Centres will be expected to provide the following services to children under 5 and their families:
early education integrated with full day care, including early identification of and provision for children with special educational needs and disabilities;
parental outreach;
family support, including support for parents with special needs;
health services;
a base for childminders, and a service hub within the community for parents and providers of childcare services;
effective links with Jobcentre Plus, local training providers and further and higher education institutions;
effective links with Children's Information Services, Neighbourhood Nurseries, Out of School Clubs and Extended Schools;
management and workforce training.
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