EARLY HELP and PREVENTION Children's Centre Venues
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Agenda Item No: 09 – Appendix B EARLY HELP AND PREVENTION Children’s Centre Venues Consultation Response Analysis Report Author Sheila Sturgeon, Policy and Projects Officer, Early Help and Prevention Date 5th January 2015 1. Introduction 1.1. It is proposed that we make changes to the opening hours of some Children’s Centres, and in five cases, to the venues being used for some universal and for targeted Children’s Centre services. 1.2. Earlier this year our new model of delivering Children’s Centres came into effect, following extensive consultation over 12 weeks in the summer of 2013, which was supportive of the new model, and a commissioning process in the spring of this year 1. As a result, some of the services previously found in Children’s Centres are now delivered from our 36 libraries, and early help targeted Children’s Centre services to families in need of additional support are delivered by commissioned providers. 1.3. The early help targeted Children’s Centre services have been using all designated venues alongside universal services from our health and JobCentre Plus partners. The providers of our targeted services (Action for Children and Spurgeons) will spend much more time with families and children in and nearer to their homes and this means that they want to deliver less in the Children’s Centre buildings. To achieve this we propose to change the hours that some buildings are open , and to move services to entirely new venues in a very small number of cases. 1.4. NCC has a statutory duty to consult upon ‘major changes’ to the Children’s Centre provision 2. As such a consultation programme has been undertaken consisting of: - • On-line ‘survey-monkey’ questionnaire (665 responses received); • Ten public meetings attended by 124 people. 1.5. The meetings and questionnaire have been widely promoted. A press briefing was held on the day the consultation opened, and was reported upon by local printed and broadcast media across all platforms. Journalists attended a number of the public meetings, and Anglia TV filmed participation in the Towcester meeting. Email alerts to the consultation were sent to all local councillors, NCC and boroughs / districts, and parish councils, as well as a number of representative bodies. Posters were placed in all Children’s centre venues. Electronic posters were placed in all libraries. Both the internet and intranet were used to promote the consultation, as well as the LSCBN and other allied newsletters. 2. Context 2.1. This consultation has taken place at a time when many of the changes described in 2.2 and 2.3 above are being implemented; the new providers of Children’s Centre services took over the 1 See Report and survey results considered and agreed at Cabinet 8 th October 2013 which outlines the new model of delivery and the results of the associated consultation. 2 Childcare Act 2006, Section 5D: Duty on local authorities to ensure there is consultation before any significant changes are made to children’s centre provision in their area. See here for more information. Children’s Centre Venues Consultation Analysis December 2014 v.1 running of the centres in August and September 2014 and so changes have been experienced by the users of our Children’s Centres. 2.2. Many of the responses received from the public have focused upon these changes rather than upon the proposals to make changes to the venues in which children’s centre services are delivered. 2.3. The comments received relating to these issues suggest strongly that users of Children’s Services do not yet fully understand our new model of delivery, and this has led to some dissatisfaction. These comments have been summarised, alongside recommendations to increase understanding of the model amongst families in an allied report. 2.4. There was some criticism that the consultation document did not provide sufficient details of the changes to be made, i.e., the planned opening hours of those centres where hours are to be reduced; and precisely which buildings would be designated as a Children’s Centre to replace those that would no longer be in use. This information had not been included as the providers were not be able to be precise until detailed planning and scoping has been completed; work that cannot take place until the changes have been approved. This was explained at public meetings, and accepted by those present; however we it is noted that should have made this clear in the public consultation document. 3. Public Meetings 3.1. Meetings were held as follows: - • Daventry District: Brixworth – 26th November at 6.00 pm at Brixworth Primary School • Daventry District: Long Buckby – 21 th November at 2.00 pm at Long Buckby Children’s Centre • East Northamptonshire: Rushden - 17 th November at 10.00 am at The Pemberton Centre, • East Northamptonshire: Thrapston – 28 th November at 5.30 at The Thrapston Plaza • Kettering – 17 th November at 5.00 pm at Ise Valley Pavilion Community Centre • Northampton East and Centre (Blackthorn) - 27 th November at 10.00 am at Blackthorn Community Centre • Northampton North and West (Duston) – 19 th November at 2.00 pm at Duston Community Centre • South Northamptonshire: Towcester – 18 th November at 1.00 pm at Towcester Children’s Centre • South Northamptonshire: Brackley – 18 th November at 4.00 pm at Brackley Leisure Centre • Wellingborough – 20 th November at 1.00 pm at Croyland Children’s Centre Format 3.2. A presentation was made outlining the EHP Strategy and where Children’s Centre services fitted into this strategy. An outline of the previous consultation (summer 2013) was also provided along with the decisions made (see Introduction above). The presentation is appended at i). 3.3. Questions were encouraged during the presentation, and these were noted along with responses. 3.4. At the end of the presentation three questions were put to those attending the meeting, who were encouraged to write their responses on post-it notes so that they could be collated and considered. Question 1: What do you think of the proposals? 3.5. Very few responses focused upon the proposals to change the venues and / or opening times. Page 2 of 38 Children’s Centre Venues Consultation Analysis December 2014 v.1 3.6. The majority of those that commented on the venue changes suggested that it was not possible to be confident that the proposals were positive until they had been enacted. Question 2: Will this result in Children’s Centre Services providing the right service, in the right place at the right time? 3.7. Again, very few responses focused upon the proposals to change the venues and / or opening times. 3.8. Those that commented on venue changes were generally of the view that, if the changes were promoted adequately, there was likelihood that this would be achieved. Question 3: How can we make the proposals better? 3.9. Once again, the comments tended to focus upon the move of some universal services to Libraries. 3.10. Where comments focused upon the venues, adequate promotion of any changes and inclusion of Centre users in timetabling and service development were viewed as key to the proposals being successful. 3.11. Notes taken at the public meetings, focusing upon the answers to the questions noted above are appended at ii ). 4. Questionnaire 4.1. The questionnaire, which was available on-line, by email or in paper format through the post when requested by telephone or in writing, is appended at iii). 4.2. Detailed response data is available by clicking here . 4.3. Responses were received from all areas of the county as per Chart 1 below: - Chart 1- Responses by Area 4.4. Responses were principally received from prospective and current users of Children’s Centre services, also from people who live or work in the selected area of the county. 4.5. Response distribution as per the interest of respondents is summarised in Chart 2 overleaf. Page 3 of 38 Children’s Centre Venues Consultation Analysis December 2014 v.1 Chart 2 – Responses by Interest 4.6. Of the current or prospective users of Children’s Centre services almost 94% had used services in the past 6 months. Where they hadn’t used services, this was principally because the timings did not meet their needs (48%), often due to work commitments. 4.7. Around 20% (132 of 665) chose not to answer the principal question of the questionnaire “We believe that the proposed changes and the increase in outreach and home visiting will considerably improve access to our targeted services, which are interventions that specifically help families and children that need extra support. Do you agree?” 4.8. Of the 533 that responded to this question, 23.3% agreed, 52.5% disagreed and 24.2% told us that they didn’t know if they agreed or disagreed, as shown in the Chart 3 overleaf. Chart 3 – Responses to Question 5 Page 4 of 38 Children’s Centre Venues Consultation Analysis December 2014 v.1 4.9. The opportunity to provide commentary was given to those who disagreed with the above statement. An analysis of these shows clearly that almost all respondents that disagreed with the statement, in fact were expressing concerns about the changes to the service providers (including Libraries) and / or to the emphasis upon targeted services by the Children’s Centre services providers, and / or to perceived cuts in services. As previously stated this had been the subject of consultation in the summer of 2013. For example: • “It may help those who require extra support but removes a service [that] lots of people use.” • “My concern is the closure of many childminding groups which have been held at children's centres.” • “Libraries are not the right environment to hold children’s centre activities, due to noisy toddlers.