Minister congratulates council on children’s centre progress

Beverley Hughes MP, minister of state for children, young people and families, has congratulated Herefordshire Council for being one of the first ten authorities in England to complete phase two of the children's centre programme.

Children's centres provide services and information for families with children under five years of age. They offer child and family health services, early years education and access to childcare, antenatal and postnatal services, family support such as home visiting, group activities and support for children and parents with special needs.

Each children's centre tailors its services to local need. All centres have good quality early years learning through play activities and links with Jobcentre Plus to help parents and carers who wish to retrain or return to work. If there's enough demand, a creche facility may be available to support meetings and training. Each centre also provides a base for childminders.

The first phase of the children's centre programme in Herefordshire took place between 2004 and 2006 with the opening of the Green Croft and Springfield Centres in Hereford and the Conningsby Centre in Leominster.

Phase two has involved children's centre services being provided in Kington, Ledbury, the Hope Family Centre in Bromyard, the Ryefield Centre in Ross on Wye, the Golden Valley and North Hereford city.

Beverley Hughes MP praised Herefordshire Council for its success in a letter to the council's director of children's services. She said: "This is a significant achievement and an important milestone and I'd like to offer my congratulations to everyone involved. Children's centres will play a major role in making a reality of our vision for excellent integrated services built around the needs of children and their families."

Councillor Jenny Hyde, Herefordshire Council's cabinet member for children and young people, said: "I have watched many of our children's centres develop and spent time with some of the children and families who are benefiting from the services they provide.

"Our early years and extended services team have done incredibly well to complete phase two so well and so quickly. Working successfully in partnership with the private and voluntary sector, they have managed to deliver what has been a very challenging agenda.

"Herefordshire Council is one of the first ten councils in the country to meet our phase two targets which is great news for the county's families and children."