The Kids' Clubs Network (KCN) is supporting the concept of children's centres, which would be aimed at four-to 14-year-olds. The idea emerged from the Childcare Commission report published back in January. The Commission, chaired by former social security minister Harriet Harman, was set up by KCN and spent a year seeking the views of the public.
KCN believes that children's centres would offer a co-ordinated approach to providing childcare and tackling child poverty, and would serve as a conduit for the wide range of Government initiatives in this area, helping to maximise investment. There are about ten Government programmes that acknowledge the benefits of out-of-school childcare, out-of-school learning, play and wider support to school-age children and their families, including the Children's Fund, which has 450m available, New Deal for Communities and Education and Health Action Zones.
KCN chief executive Anne Longfield said, 'By providing a focus for the application and distribution of funds for school-age childcare and other children's activities on a local level, the available funds would be used more effectively. The Government has already acknowledged the advantage of co-ordinating childcare in this way for younger children with Sure Start and Early Excellence centres. We want to see the same principle extended to older children.'
KCN has disseminated its ideas about children's centres to partnerships and has had an enthusiastic response. A number of local authority directors of education have sought meetings with the charity to discuss how they can take the idea forward.
Ms Longfield said, 'It seems to have really struck a chord. A lot of local authorities used to have children's play centres, but over the years they have fallen away. They are now used to the Early Excellence approach and many have said they now have some schemes for school-age children that are starting to work this way. There is potential for the Government to look at piloting these schemes in the same way as they have developed Early Excellence centres.'
KCN calculates that start-up funds for children's centres are likely to start at around 250,000 for conversions and developments of existing centres or schools. Besides offering a range of co-ordinated childcare services, the children's centre could also serve as a resource centre, a base for satellite activities, including health visitors and special needs support, and for training staff.
