Since it opened two years ago, the Integrated Children's Centre (ICC) in Merthyr Tydfil has become not just a hub for the local community, but also the main element in the Welsh council's drive to combat social exclusion.
Ann James, team leader at the Cwm Golau ICC, emphasises its pivotal role on a tour of its impressive facilities, which range from spacious, modern childcare provision and a well-stocked toy library to state-of-the-art conference and training rooms.
'We don't just see ourselves as a centre; this place is about delivering quality services across the county borough. It's a massive remit,' Ms James says. With the Welsh Assembly government telling local authorities to start by building one centre, each has to cover a relatively large geographical area compared with their English counterparts.
While there may be a debate in England about the relevance and location of some children's centres, there is no need for any subtle rationale to justify this ICC. Merthyr ranks near the top of the league when it comes to disadvantage, with nine out of its 11 wards designated community-first areas.
It has a declining population - a legacy of the collapse of heavy industries such as mining and steel - and, according to the Bevan Foundation, a severe shortage of childcare. A recent survey found that there were only 497 childcare places among 5,800 children under eight in Merthyr, and that 49 per cent of those children live in households surviving on benefits and 32 per cent receive free school meals.
Ann James says that 'childcare in Merthyr was rock bottom'. Now, the centre offers parent and toddler groups, pre-school groups for both English- and Welsh-medium children, a 52-place privately-run day nursery and creche facilities.
Information please
As if to symbolise the ICC's status at the heart of integrated service delivery, the children's information service (CIS) is housed in the centre.
If a parent wants to know about childcare options, they will find CIS officer Tina Powell just behind the main reception desk.
She has all the vital statistics about childcare providers in the area and can help parents by signposting them to the best solution. 'Being front-of- house, unlike lots of CIS officers who are in local authority offices, means I am more accessible,' she says.
In the past year she has had 1,139 enquiries about childcare. At the most recent count there were 14 parent and toddler groups, ten pre-school playgroups, seven day nurseries, 18 childminders, 15 holiday playschemes and 18 breakfast and after-school clubs.
Jackie Sebury and her husband Wayne, who own the Footsteps day nursery, rent a third of the ICC, having won the tender to provide childcare after the successful launch of their first nursery in Caerphilly.
They appreciate the fact that this time they have been able to move into a brand new purpose-built facility. 'When we set up in Caerphilly the building was derelict. We had no gas or electricity,' recalls Jackie.
The nursery, open from 7.30am to 6pm, charges a standard day rate of Pounds 27.50 per child regardless of their age and including all meals, nappies and wipes. It has around 100 children registered and operates at 70 per cent occupancy. Many children come part-time, a reflection of changing work patterns locally, and the nursery runs a breakfast and after-school club, providing transport to and from school.
There are vacancies in the three-to- five age group, principally because Merthyr schools take children in the term after they turn three. Jackie says she is in the process of becoming a provider of early education for this group and is confident many parents will choose to keep their children at the nursery because it provides the continuity of all-day care.
The provision of free creche facilities has helped to underpin a key element of the ICC's work - the range of family programmes which enable parents to become more involved in their child's learning and to improve their own basic skills.
Ann James says the Partnership Accelerates Learning programmes, which are delivered in local schools and other venues, act as 'a bridge' to some of the hardest to reach families. 'The parents become engaged in their children's learning, gain confidence and then want to do other things.
Often the certificate they gain is the first bit of paper indicating achievement that they have had in their lives. Their self-esteem is better and they become more employable.'
Some go on to become school support staff or take up childcare as a career, following the CACHE Level 2 courses delivered by the ICC in partnership with Merthyr College. A Level 3 course begins in April.
The toy library also acts as a vital link with the community, and the librarian delivers 'stay and play' sessions in schools and voluntary sector pre-school groups. Meanwhile the Language and Play sessions - a short programme for parents and carers of children aged nought to three - help to reinforce the parents' role as the child's primary educator.
While women also have additional avenues into training and work with support from the Genesis Cymru programme, which provides free or subsidised childcare, it was recognised that many men would benefit from a similar support service.
Dads' adviser
Peter Davies began working at the ICC as a 'dads' adviser' about a year ago. Initially his brief was to help with issues such as education, training and re-employment as many men have fallen victim in recent years to pit and factory closures and have often been replaced by their wives or partners as the main breadwinners in the family.
But over the year he has seen his role expand rapidly. From helping dads to interact with their children, he now has 50 dads on his books and often assists them with form-filling, accompanies them to court hearings and attends case conferences.
'Dads often feel ignored and alienated, especially when they feel that the mum may be involved in discussions with, say, social services and they are left in the corner,' says Peter. He is now taking a degree course in working with men at Nottingham University - the first of its kind in the country.
Ann James says the work with dads has involved complex issues as some are the 'most hard to reach', many have been left in sole care of their children, sometimes due to bereavement.
Funding worries
Walking around the ICC, you cannot help but be struck by the levels of investment and careful planning of a centre in which staff, parents and children thrive and clearly feel at ease. Yet there is a cloud on the horizon.
Ann points out that out of a total staff of around 40, only one post, the early years and childcare co-ordinator, is core-funded by the local authority. The remaining jobs depend on grant funding, some of which is due to end in March 2008.
However, she remains hopeful that longer-term funding can be found and stresses that the local authority has been 'very supportive throughout'.
Hiring out the conference facilities brings in vital revenue to cover essential running costs.
Ann says, 'We have a centre of expertise here which serves the whole county borough. I have been fortunate to have been able to recruit most of the staff here myself. We have a multi-agency team and the spirit is fantastic.
We are learning from each other, learning to work together, to pool budgets and support each other.
'Our work is preventative, based on early intervention, and through professionals working closely together we are able to identify vulnerable families and children and have probably kept many children out of care.'
While other local authorities in Wales have opted to create children's centres by expanding existing satellite services or by attaching them to schools, the Merthyr ICC is a standalone facility which has established itself as a vital social landmark in the lives of local people.
It would seem inconceivable, given the impact it is having on the life chances of some of the most vulnerable children, that the Welsh Assembly Government would not ensure that it continues to prosper and grow. NW