The views of parents/carers, staff and volunteers on services for under 5s delivered by Children’s Centres and Library Plus in Northamptonshire
During May, June and July 2015 Healthwatch Northamptonshire (HWN) Children, Young People and Families working group visited Library Plus and children’s centre services in Northamptonshire to hear from families, staff and volunteers about the services provided for children under 5.
HWN spoke to 22 staff, 11 volunteers and 44 parents in 17 libraries, 23 staff/volunteers and 35 parents/carers in 14 children’s centres, and 26 ‘others’, including another 15 mums across Northamptonshire, to see whether the service had improved the experience and outcomes for families.
HWN decided to carry out this piece of work following a number of changes by Northamptonshire County Council (NCC) to the children’s centre contracts from August 2014. These changes initially involved the change of venue and reduction of hours to the Daventry East children’s centre. Then, in November and December 2014 there was further consultation on the reduction of hours in an additional 25 children’s centre venues and the moving of services completely from another 5, which were:
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Highfield, Wellingborough
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Manor, Raunds
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Nene Lakes, Earls Barton
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Brixworth
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Roade
