West Sussex residents get say on plans to close children's centres
Three-quarters could go as part of changes put forward by the County Council
People in West Sussex will have the chance to give their views on proposed changes to a service supporting vulnerable children and families.
Plans have been submitted to redesign the early help service provided by West Sussex County Council.
That would mean reducing the number of services in children and family centres across the county from the current 43 to 11.
Some of the centres Early Help could withdraw from are located in buildings such as libraries, schools, village halls and churches which will remain open and will continue to be used by community groups.
A 10-week public consultation will start on March 8th and people will be able to take part in virtual engagement sessions, with dates to be announced shortly.
Early Help staff support children and families who are facing any number of challenging circumstances, working to ensure every child has a safe environment in which to thrive.
The proposals put forward aim to meet a growing demand on these services by focussing support where it is needed most, including closer working with schools.
The council has proposed that full-time drop-in services will remain in place in each district and borough in the county, alongside services such as emotional support, schemes for mental health in schools and help for children affected by domestic abuse.
Jacquie Russell, West Sussex County Council's Cabinet Member for Children & Young People, said:
“Our commitment to putting children and families first is at the heart of these proposals, which are to improve our Early Help Service and enhance the support we can give to those who need it most.
“We know that our Children & Family Centres are not widely used by the families that need Early Help. Since the first lockdown all children and family centres have been closed but requests for help have been at a record high, indicating that despite the lack of access to buildings we are still able to reach the families that need us.
"Discussions are ongoing with partners and other organisations that normally operate from the centres we are looking at to explore how families will continue to access these services.
“We understand the concerns people have about the potential changes to centres and I would encourage everyone to share their views about these proposals when the consultation opens.”
More information on the proposals, including video explanations and details of how people can take part in the consultation when it opens can be found on the West Sussex County Council website.