Childrens Centres And Extended Schools - The Aims
By 2010 all children, young people and their parents will have access to a minimum core of universal services within their community through the development of children's centres and extended schools. All children are entitled to the opportunity and support they need to reach their potential in order to improve their life chance, so those from vulnerable groups such as children with disabilities, ethnic minorities, children looked after and children from settled traveller communities will be priority target groups. Through consultation and involving all partners in planning and developing services, children's centres and schools will be able to develop the package of services which best meets the needs of their communities.
Aims:
By 2010 Poole will have:
- An integrated approach to children's services across three identified geographical localities based on school pyramid clusters.
- A co-ordinated assessment of children's needs using the Common Assessment Framework
- A continuum of support for children, young people and their families.
Key Milestones
National target for Children's Centres:
- 2008 - all families living in areas identified as the 30% most disadvantaged have access to the children's centre core offer services.
- 2010 - one Children's Centre for every 800 pre-school aged children.
National target for Extended Schools:
- 2006 - 15% of schools to provide access to the core offer.
- 2008 - 50% of primary and 33% of secondary schools, including special schools, providing access to the core offer.
- 2010 - all schools providing access to the core offer.
Poole 2008 target for Children's Centres:
- Six Children's Centres in three localities.
It is proposed that the six Children's Centres will be located at:
- Carter Community Sports College Campus
- Old Town First School and Nursery
- Rossmore Community College Campus
- Creekmoor
- Canford Heath
- The Ted Webster Centre in Parkstone.
Each Children's Centre will have some outreach work into the community. The roll out for the Children's Centres will begin in those areas which meet the Government definition of the 30% most disadvantaged areas as identified through the national index of deprivation.
Poole 2008 target for Extended Schools:
- 4 Secondary schools
- 17 Primary schools, including one special school
will be providing full and appropriate access to the extended schools' core offer.
What is a Children's Centre?
Children's Centres provide multi-agency services that are flexible and meet the needs of children under five and their families. Services should be accessible to all. Often these will not be new services, but existing services delivered in an integrated way. Where appropriate this may be through a 'one-stop shop' approach.
Children's Centre Core Offer:
The following services must be offered in 30% of areas:
- Integrated early years and childcare for children under 5 - 5 days a week, 48 weeks a year, 10 hours a day. This may be delivered by an existing provider and must also include support to childminders.
- Family support and outreach - including a range of information for parents and carers about the range of services and access to specialist services for families which need them.
- Child and family health services - including ante-natal advice.
- Parental involvement.
- Links with Job Centre Plus - signposting to training opportunities and routes into work.
In neighbourhoods outside the 30% most disadvantaged areas, the focus will be on the provision of information and signposting to ensure families have access to services within the core offer.
What is an Extended School?
An extended school is a school that recognises that it cannot work alone in helping children and young people to achieve their potential and therefore agrees to work in partnership with other agencies that have an interest in outcomes for children and young people and with the local community. In doing so it aims to help meet the wider needs of children, young people and their community. Extended schools provide a range of services and activities, often beyond the school day. For Primary schools this will mean working with a range of local providers to enable children and families to have access to extended services. In Secondary schools the expectations are that they will be open from 8:00 am - 6:00 pm all year round offering a range of activities for young people, their families and the community.
Extended Schools Core Offer:
- Access to childcare from 8:00 am - 6:00 pm all year round determined by family and community needs and local demand.
- A varied menu of activities beyond school hours, including study support in secondary schools.
- Swift and easy referral to a wide range of specialist support services.
- Parenting support, including parenting programmes, family learning and information, advice and guidance.
- Community use and access where possible to IT, sports and arts facilities.
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