Family centres Mums fight closures

A group of mums from Bognor Regis are campaigning against ‘short-sighted’ plans to shut a children and family centre. Proposals to reduce the number of children and family centres in West Sussex from 43 to 11 have been discussed by a West Sussex County Council scrutiny committee.

One of the centres earmarked for closure is at Victoria Drive, Bognor Regis, which has been an ‘essential lifeline’ to young families since it became a Surestart centre in 2005. Mum and former childcare provider Lydia Rankin said: “Family services are going to be needed more than ever. They assist with so much early intervention, mental health, and wellbeing. It’s a very short-sighted cut.

“With the staff and volunteers helping individuals and families, they can prevent the need for other professional help further down the line.” Lydia said it ‘makes me sad for other families’ that necessary support may not be available. Also this centre is accessible for all as you can get there with public transport whereas you can’t to others,” she added.

“It infuriates me beyond belief that so much money was thrown into these places, building them, and then they just waste them.”

The changes form part of a proposed redesign of the county council’s Early Help provision which it says aims to improve the services offered to the most vulnerable children and families, making sure they receive the help they need.

However, mums who use the ‘excellent’ facilities think it would be a mistake to close the centre.

Heather Robbins, whose children used to be supported by the centre, said: “The gardens and rooms and toys are state-of-the-art, very large, bright, open and welcoming. Ofsted recently reported that ‘the well-attended and highly effective’ breastfeeding clinics, workshops and cafés are helping increase breastfeeding rates.” A petition to halt the proposed cuts to the centres can be found at www.change.org/p/ west-sussex-county-councilhalt-the-planned-cuts-towest-sussex-children-andfamily-centres