What is a Children's Centre?

Children’s centres offer the best start in life for every child. They provide information and services for families with young children and aim to build on good existing good services rather than starting new ones where it’s not necessary.
 
By visiting your local children’s centre, you will receive support and help in finding childcare, family support, health services and even employment advice. Many children’s centres will have a day nursery on site, or very close by, providing childcare from 8am – 6pm and will also have links with local childminders. If you are looking for day care as a working parent, the centre will be able to give you information about the options for you and your child.

Every children’s centre offers services for approximately 800 children under five and these have to include:

• Good quality early years provision available during hours to suit working parents
• Support for all children with special needs and disabilities
• Parent support including toy libraries, parent and toddler groups and parenting programmes
• A  base for a childminding network and/or childminding group
• Local advice and information for parents
• Effective links with Jobcentre Plus, local training providers, further and higher education providers, to provide access to information,  training and career opportunities
• Child and family health services, including antenatal services

To ensure the quality of services, all children’s centres have to be designated by the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) and have to provide the above basic services to achieve this. 

Each local centre will offer additional services that suit local needs such as:

• A Toy Library where you can borrow toys and equipment for your child
• Breast feeding drop-in clinics
• Baby clinics, run by health visitors, where you can weigh your baby, have a confidential chat or just meet other parents
• Ante-natal clinics
• Baby massage sessions

You can find more information on Sure Start children’s centres at www.surestart.gov.uk or email your enquiry to enquiries@hertschildrenscentres.org.uk.