Essex names organisations chosen to run county's children's centres
Catherine Gaunt
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Essex County Council has named the successful bidders who have been awarded contracts to manage the county's 85 children's centres.
As part of plans to re-organise the way that centres are managed in the county, children’s centres have been divided into four areas – quadrants.
Contracts have been awarded to three voluntary sector organisations and will start from April 2012.
4Children will run mid-Essex (22 children’s centres), Barnardo’s North East Essex (19 centres) and South Essex (27 centres), and children’s charity Spurgeon’s will take on the running of 17 children’s centres in West Essex.
Previously, the county’s children’s centres were run as they had initially been set up, by 13 voluntary and statutory organisations.
Essex County Council said that they remain committed to universal services in children’s centres, but that there would be a greater emphasis on targeting the most disadvantaged children.
There are around 80,000 children under five in Essex, with around one in six of them living in poverty.
Essex County Councillor Sarah Candy, cabinet member with responsibility for Children’s Services, said, ‘Children’s centres are a well established and valued part of local communities across Essex.
‘It is important that they continue to provide key services to all families, but we also want to ensure we reach those children at greatest disadvantage. We know that giving children the best possible start in life has a positive impact on what they are able to achieve at school and in later life.’
Spurgeons now runs 61 children’s centres in England, after successfully winning the contract to run 17 centres in West Essex.
The charity’s chief executive Tim Jeffery said, ‘Following what has been acknowledged across the children’s services sector as one of the most rigorous and robust tendering processes, we are so pleased to have won this contract.
‘Competition was intense with the top organisations in our sector chasing the four regional contracts, so we are delighted that we have been able to demonstrate our excellence as a provider under these circumstances.’
He added, ‘We know of the life changing difference that Children’s Centres make to the families who rely on them for help, advice, support and friendship. We are so proud of the work that our children’s centres carry out and look forward to being able to provide this exceptional service to families in West Essex.
‘We also look forward to welcoming new children’s services professionals into Spurgeons as well as working in partnership with Essex County Council and other partners in the area.
‘Spurgeons believes children’s centres play a crucial part in addressing child poverty and is committed to helping families at greatest disadvantage as well as providing excellent under-fives care and wider support for all families.’
Contracts have been awarded to three voluntary sector organisations and will start from April 2012.
4Children will run mid-Essex (22 children’s centres), Barnardo’s North East Essex (19 centres) and South Essex (27 centres), and children’s charity Spurgeon’s will take on the running of 17 children’s centres in West Essex.
Previously, the county’s children’s centres were run as they had initially been set up, by 13 voluntary and statutory organisations.
Essex County Council said that they remain committed to universal services in children’s centres, but that there would be a greater emphasis on targeting the most disadvantaged children.There are around 80,000 children under five in Essex, with around one in six of them living in poverty.
Essex County Councillor Sarah Candy, cabinet member with responsibility for Children’s Services, said, ‘Children’s centres are a well established and valued part of local communities across Essex.
‘It is important that they continue to provide key services to all families, but we also want to ensure we reach those children at greatest disadvantage. We know that giving children the best possible start in life has a positive impact on what they are able to achieve at school and in later life.’
Spurgeons now runs 61 children’s centres in England, after successfully winning the contract to run 17 centres in West Essex.
The charity’s chief executive Tim Jeffery said, ‘Following what has been acknowledged across the children’s services sector as one of the most rigorous and robust tendering processes, we are so pleased to have won this contract.
‘Competition was intense with the top organisations in our sector chasing the four regional contracts, so we are delighted that we have been able to demonstrate our excellence as a provider under these circumstances.’
He added, ‘We know of the life changing difference that Children’s Centres make to the families who rely on them for help, advice, support and friendship. We are so proud of the work that our children’s centres carry out and look forward to being able to provide this exceptional service to families in West Essex.
‘We also look forward to welcoming new children’s services professionals into Spurgeons as well as working in partnership with Essex County Council and other partners in the area.
‘Spurgeons believes children’s centres play a crucial part in addressing child poverty and is committed to helping families at greatest disadvantage as well as providing excellent under-fives care and wider support for all families.’
