A spokesman for Lancashire County Council said the closures were not a cost-cutting exercise and any money saved will be reinvested into services, as part of its Quality Protects Panel initiative to modernise the way the Social Services Directorate delivers children and family services.
The day nurseries - Greenbank and James Street in Preston, Bright Street in Clitheroe, North Valley in Colne, Manchester Road in Accrington and Cottage Lane in Bamber Bridge - are mainly used by disadvantaged and vulnerable children. They will be closed by next summer and replaced by support centres focusing on whole families with children up to the age of 18.
The new services will operate seven days a week, for longer hours, and provide support work carried out at the centres and on a one-to-one basis in the home.
Staff will be redeployed across the county to work at the new centres on a three-tier service. Senior family support workers will be responsible for complex support and assessment on a shift basis from 8am until 8pm and be available at weekends and bank holidays; family support workers will be involved in outreach, group work and assessments; and family centre workers will have occasional work in satellite units, providing mainly respite care and support to workers running groups.
Councillor Chris Cheetham, cabinet member for social services, said, 'We have talked to people across the county about what they want to see and the overwhelming message is that people want family support services but don't want this to be intensive or to feel they are losing control. We hope these plans will deliver that.'