Children’s Centres are community area hubs for children under five and their families that provide and co-ordinate a whole range of services such as parenting support and programmes, access to health services such as health visitor clinics, breastfeeding support, activities for fathers, Jobcentre Plus, childminder’s base etc. 

A total of 30 centres dedicated to supporting parents and their children are planned to be up and running by spring 2011. Wiltshire Council is in line to meet its governnment-set target of providing the 30 Sure Start children's centres in the county within the next 18 months.

There are already 24 centres open in Wiltshire providing services for children up to five years old and their parents or carers. Development on the remaining six centres will continue during the next 18 months at the Bath Road end of Devizes, on the Pewsham Estate in Chippenham, on the Longfield Estate in Trowbridge and on sites in Tisbury, Wilton and Bulford. While the building work on the centres is being carried out, Sure Start services will be available in these areas from alternative premises.

The council will continue to develop children’s centre services with its voluntary sector partners and school governing bodies, who manage the centres on behalf of the council. Each community area in Wiltshire will have at least one children’s centre, which will provide a one-stop-shop of activities and support both in the centre and in other areas within the community.These activities include early learning, promoting healthy living, supporting parents and information on accessing health services.

Sessions available at the centres include baby massage, fun with food, parenting courses and children and dad's mornings. Wiltshire Council's improvement and innovations manager, Gill Hanlan, said: "The project to develop the Sure Start children's centres in Wiltshire has been a fast moving and exciting programme. The final phase includes two major projects, in particular the Longfield Estate in Trowbridge and the Pewsham Estate in Chippenham - we hope these centres will become the hubs of those communities."

For more information, contact the press office 01225 713114/5/6 or 713664.

15th October 2009