When the Government unveiled its children's centre programme it conjured up a vision of brand new, purpose-built centres springing up in disadvantaged areas and then in every community.
But as the programme has unfolded there has been a growing recognition from Government and local authorities that building new centres may be neither practical nor affordable, and that the ten-year strategy cannot be achieved without private and voluntary sector involvement.
Some local councils have large-scale building projects under way in the first wave of the programme, but others are opting to create 'virtual'
centres with integrated services delivered through 'satellites' - this is likely to be a feature of the second wave of centres. This approach avoids the need for massive capital outlay and makes services arguably more flexible and accessible to communities.
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