Save Lambeth's Children's Centres

[editor]

Lambeth are at it again - please read and sign!


UNISON backs campaign to save Lambeth Children’s Centres, as online petition launched

 

[snowy_again]

As an ex Early Years Centre governor, they've got my support for keeping them open.

Where's LEAP in all of this - they had a massive lottery investment as it was proved that family support in early years settings was fundamental to preventing a whole range of issues facing children and families.

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[editor]

As an ex Early Years Centre governor, they've got my support for keeping them open.

Where's LEAP in all of this - they had a massive lottery investment as it was proved that family support in early years settings was fundamental to preventing a whole range of issues facing children and families.

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I didn't know that the centres also provide services for parents, like language skills and debt advice.

 

[snowy_again]

A whole bunch of things - we were doing literacy and numeracy skills, new fathers' programmes, access to CAB etc. about 14 years ago - it's hardly rocket science to engage with new parents at a time in their life of new stresses - all of which affect the child's access to learning and development.

What's strange is that Lambeth recognised the importance of early years centres and the long term impact they have, have at least 2 'pathfinder' Centres which were visited every year by the political great and good, are a partner in a national evidence based programme and yet are cutting budgets... massive short term-ist approach.

 

[AnnO'Neemus]

Cutting children's services is a false economy. It doesn't save money, all it means is that other spending has to go up, ie dealing with the inevitable rise in youth crime, and dealing with the effects of poverty, etc. But those interventions are too late and the children are already fucked up by the time social services and the cops and probation services and the justice system and mental health services get involved.

Spending money on children's services to prevent crises should be a priority, because failing to spend on support services in the first instance doesn't actually save any money overall.

 

[Gramsci]

More cuts on the way.

At Grove adventure playground one volunteer said to me as least Council are keeping open children's centres.

Now that is cut.

Grove Adventure playground now run by volunteers is under threat of having land it "redeveloped".

Early years care in London is available if you pay.

Its a class issue. These cuts to early years - potentially getting rid of adventure playground and now cuts to children's centre are all part of the the Tories austerity cuts. It hits the less well off. As they don't matter in this society.