New ‘family hubs’ set to be created from the county’s children’s centres
THEY WILL CATER FOR A WIDER AGE RANGE
NOTTINGHAMSHIRE’S network of children’s centres are expected to change their services and become ‘family hubs’ instead under plans expected to be approved by the county council.
The decision will mean the centres expand from catering for under-fives only to all people under 18, or 25 in the case of people with special educational needs and disabilities.
Family hubs are designed to provide help with social care, education, mental health or physical health all under a single roof.
The county council had previously proposed 17 locations to cover the whole of Nottinghamshire.
A report before Cabinet on Thursday recommended that children’s centres are converted into family hubs, with the rollout over the next 12 months.
The council previously said existing services for under-fives would still continue in children’s centres. The list of proposed locations, released last year, includes:
■ Ashfield North (Sutton in Ashfield)
■ Ashfield Central (Kirkby in Ashfield)
■ Ashfield South (targeting Butlers Hill and Broomhill)
■ Retford
■ Worksop (targeting Manton)
■ Bassetlaw Rural (including Harworth, Bircotes and Carlton in Lindrick)
■ Broxtowe North (Eastwood)
■ Broxtowe South (Chilwell)
■ Gedling North (Killisick)
■ Gedling South (Netherfield)
■ Mansfield South East (targeting Oaktree, Ravensdale and Bellamy)
■ Mansfield West (Tichfield & Oakham/ladybrook)
■ Mansfield North (targeting Mansfield Woodhouse)
■ Newark (targeting Hawtonville)
■ Sherwood
■ Ollerton and Boughton
■ Rushcliffe (targeting Cotgrave) There could also be virtual and physical access points such as Job
Centres, Citizens Advice and health centres. The Retford site was the first to open in April 2023, and work is under way on those in Newark and Sutton-in-ashfield. The others have a target opening date of April 2025.
Over 80% of parents and carers supported the conversion of children’s centres when a public consultation was carried out in late 2023. A small group were concerned about existing services being lost or whether there would be the resources to deliver all of the plans.
The hubs are seen as the Conservative government’s replacement for Sure Start centres, which were opened under the previous Labour government.
Nottingham City Council was one of 75 authorities to receive a share of the £301.75m Family Hubs and Start for Life programme for its own series of hubs. The county council did not receive any new money, and will be asking its partners to make necessary contributions.