Forty-seven children's centres have either been closed or earmarked for closure within the next year, research shows.
Shadow children’s minister Sharon Hodgson surveyed 152 local authorities about their plans for Sure Start children’s centres, through Freedom of Information requests.The survey also found that 83 per cent of local authorities have cut their budget for Sure Start in real terms this year.
The figure looks set to rise, with 89 per cent of local authorities that have already set their budget for 2012/13, saying that they will be cutting their Sure Start budget next year.
The research also suggests that one third of local authorities are reducing the numbers of qualified teachers in children’s centres, or removing them completely.
Ms Hodgson said, ‘These figures confirm what we have known all along - that David Cameron’s pledge to parents to protect and build on Sure Start has been well and truly broken. Sure Start centres are closing as a direct result of Tory cuts which go too far, too fast.
‘But even these figures don’t tell the whole story that parents are seeing on the ground: of the services withdrawn from centres, opening hours cut and trusted staff sacked.’
The National Children’s Bureau, which last week published a report showing that children’s charities are being hit hardest by Government cuts, said it was another ‘austerity hit for families’.
NCB’s chief executive Dr Hilary Emery said, ‘Last week’s projections on the increasing number of children slipping into poverty, NCB’s own report finding children’s charities hit hardest by austerity measures, cuts to local authority services such as play, support for disabled children and youth services, are all painting a picture of children as the biggest losers of the recession.
‘Not only are their services being cut, but their home-life is becoming increasingly more stressful as parents worry about employment and the cost of food and fuel. We know families under stress can lead to an increase in domestic violence, child abuse, mental health problems, drug abuse and alcoholism - all of which have a greater long-term cost to the UK taxpayer.’
Melian Mansfield, chair of the Early Childhood Forum said, ‘The emerging evidence that children's centres are closing or drastically reducing their services because of the cuts is extremely worrying, as families will lose the direct access to specialist health, education and safeguarding services and opportunities for early intervention are lost.’