Devon County Council said that Barnardo's, NCH, the Children's Society and Exeter Community Initiatives are the preferred providers to deliver Phase 2 of its children's centre programme. Most centres will be based in new or refurbished buildings, with most construction work scheduled to finish by next April. Seven children's centres and two Early Excellence centres are already operating as part of Phase 1.
The new centres are in Dartmouth, Kingsbridge, central Exeter, Heavitree and Polsloe, Exmouth, Honiton, Tiverton, Crediton, Culm Valley, South Molton, Holsworthy, Braunton, Newton Abbot, Heathfield, Okehampton and Tavistock.
Barnardo's South West is set to be the largest provider, winning nine of the centre tenders.
Heather Colbeck from Barnardo's said, 'These are the first children's centres we are running in Devon. We are delighted to have this opportunity to work alongside all the families and other groups in these areas. We will be listening to what parents and carers tell us is important to them, shaping what's already available, and creating new services to help children and their families.'
'In terms of childcare, in almost all the different areas it will be important to link to rural providers, although provision will vary hugely.
The new centre at Dartmouth will eventually house the Humpty Dumpty Nursery, a private provider, but will remain a completely separate entity.'
The Children's Society will provide the children's centre services in Exmouth and Honiton. Assistant director Jean Trewitt said, 'Devon is predominantly a rural county. There are market towns and isolated farms and hamlets. It's about recognising that families living in more rural areas may be much more isolated, so whether we provide physical support like transport or emotional support like an outreach worker, we must adapt.'
