More than eight in 10 local authorities have closed children鈥檚 centres
By Rachel Lawler
More than eight in 10 local authorities saw a fall in the number of children鈥檚 centres between 2010 and 2019, according to analysed by the Alliance.
The figures were published by children and families minister Michelle Donelan in response to a from shadow education secretary Angela Rayner.
麻花影视analysis
The Alliance鈥檚 analysis shows that more than a third of local authorities have seen the number of children鈥檚 centres in their area cut by more than 50%. Only two local authorities saw any increase.
The five worse affected areas in terms of the number of net children鈥檚 centre losses are:
|
Local authority |
Children鈥檚 centres in 2010 |
Children鈥檚 centres in 2019 |
Total reduction |
Percentage reduction |
|
Essex |
85 |
19 |
66 |
78% |
|
Staffordshire |
54 |
8 |
46 |
85% |
|
Birmingham |
75 |
34 |
41 |
55% |
|
Oxfordshire |
45 |
8 |
37 |
82% |
|
Derbyshire |
54 |
21 |
33 |
61% |
The six worst affected areas in terms of percentage of net children鈥檚 centres losses are:
|
Local authority |
Children鈥檚 centres in 2010 |
Children鈥檚 centres in 2019 |
Total reduction |
Percentage reduction |
|
Gateshead |
15 |
1 |
14 |
93% |
|
Harrow |
16 |
2 |
14 |
88% |
|
Trafford |
16 |
2 |
14 |
88% |
|
Staffordshire |
54 |
8 |
46 |
85% |
|
Luton |
23 |
4 |
19 |
83% |
|
St Helens |
12 |
2 |
10 |
83% |
Neglected policy
The 麻花影视has called on the government to 鈥済et its act together鈥 in response to figures.
Neil Leitch, chief executive of the Alliance, said: 鈥淲e know that children鈥檚 centres play a vital role in supporting children and families 鈥 and particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds 鈥 but, for all the government rhetoric about the importance of supporting social mobility, this is a policy area that has been completely neglected for years now.
鈥淕iven the total lack of clear strategic direction from government, alongside severe and sustained funding cuts, it is no surprise that many children centres have been forced to close their doors 鈥 and yet, it is still shocking to see the sheer scale of centre closures that some areas have endured over the last decade.
鈥淚t beggars belief that such a vital source of help and support for families has effectively been abandoned. The government needs to get its act together, commit to investing substantially into children鈥檚 centres, and ensure that all families have access to the early support services that they need.鈥
Risking success
Last year, the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) warned that the government was risking the success of its Sure Start progreamme, after its analysis found that the children's centres had a 鈥渂ig positive effect on children鈥檚 health [and] reducing hospitalisations鈥. The IFS reported that spending on the Sure Start programmed peaked in 2010 at 拢1.8 billion a year, in current prices, but has since seen its budget cut by two-thirds.
Find out more
One in six children's centres has closed since 2010
Government risks Sure Start success, warns IFS