A South London council is asking residents how much they use their local children’s centre as it considers their futures.
There are a total of nine children’s centres in Sutton which support families with young children. However, since the pandemic, the authority has started providing some services away from the children’s centre buildings in local libraries and parks.
It comes as Sutton Council has started developing ‘family hubs’ across the borough, which are supposed to support young people from early years up until the age of 19. The first one was opened at Sutton library earlier this year.
The consultation said: “This survey will help inform any future decision that we make about our Sutton children’s centre buildings and the services we offer across the borough.”
It adds that Sutton Council needs to save £20 million by 2026.
In February, Sutton Council’s senior public health strategist, Lorna Jacques, for children said in an update: “Many of our services (if not all) are not in the position to be investing in new buildings, or new services.
“We are stretched with staffing and with increased demands. And yet we are managing to keep moving forward with the developments of better working together practices, using spaces differently to meet families, different outreach and a new website for information and advice.”
The council’s family hubs programme, which is being worked on with the voluntary sector, public health and NHS.
Physical spaces are expected to be at Belmont GP Centre, Phoenix Leisure Centre, Tweedale Children’s Centre and Sutton Central Library.
The current centres are:
Amy Johnson Children’s Centre, Beddington Park Children’s Centre, Muschamp Children’s Centre, Shanklin Children’s Centre, Stanley Park Children’s Centre, The Grange, Thomas Wall Children’s Centre, Tweeddale Children’s Centre and Green Oak Children’s Centre.
Consultation on the future of children’s centres in Sutton closes on July 9. It can be found HERE
