Early years consultation starts in Manchester

A three month consultation begins this week on proposed changes to early years services in Manchester.

The proposals come on the back of reductions to Manchester City Council's budget which mean it must find new ways of working.

Councillor Afzal Khan, executive member for children's services, said: "We have much less money to spend and need to ensure that we target it most effectively, focusing on those who need support the most.
"We want to do all we can to make sure more children are school ready and able to learn, and also to help more parents and carers access work.

"Changes have to be made but the new proposals, if agreed, will be introduced gradually over the next four years."

There are a number of parts to the proposals:
These include establishing a citywide outreach service - working closely with GPs, midwifery and health visiting services, and others - that will aim to visit every child at home during the child's first three years.

Staff will work from existing centres to identify at the earliest opportunity children and families who might need extra help.

Currently less than a third of families with young children in Manchester access Sure Start Centres. The outreach service aims to substantially increase this and has already proved successful in Ardwick where it has been piloted and where the service has made contact with over 80 per cent of families in the area.

The council intends to keep open and make better use of existing children's centre buildings so that they deliver a wide range of services to people of all ages, including early years services. There is no proposal to close these buildings.

The council will still ensure that 15 hours free day care is available for all three and four year olds with additional support for children and families who most need it.

At the moment however only one in ten day care places is directly provided by the council at its Sure Start Centres, with the majority of Manchester parents using school nurseries, or private, voluntary, or independent day care for their children. An independent assessment showed that there are many spare day care places available across the city.

Manchester City Council therefore proposes to gradually withdraw from directly providing day care places by April 2014 and will look at each local area in detail to ensure enough places are available before it does so.

Livingstone said: "We will continue to be responsible for ensuring high quality early years support is given at the right time, in the right place to the children and families who need it.

"The changes proposed are important, and it's vital we get things right. We want to hear views from parents, carers, staff who work with children, and anyone who has an interest in the preschool care and education of children."

Information sessions about the proposals are being held across the city. For details or to submit comments on the proposals visit www.manchester.gov.uk/surestartchanges