Issue - meetings

To inform Members of the actions taken in response to the recommendations of the Scrutiny Review of Children’s Centres in 2008.

The Committee received the report on Children’s Centres which provided an update of actions taken in response to the recommendations of the Scrutiny Review of Children’s Centres in 2008, introduced by Belinda Evans, Head of Children’s Network West.  Peter Lewis, Director Children & Young People’s Service, and Jan Doust, Deputy Director - Children’s Network, were also in attendance.

In response to the Committee’s enquiry it was noted that there would be an extension of the Rowland Hill Children’s Centre at 100 Tower Gardens.  The Committee requested a list of services that were provided in each of Haringey’s children’s centres and satellite children centres. It was recognised that there was a need to target families who were not making use of children’s centres.

The committee requested details of what services were in each Children’s centre and satellite and a copy of the quality impact report.

The Committee asked what incentives were available for child care workers and noted that the Council had introduced a quality mark scheme where staff and providers could become accredited with bronze, silver and gold status.

The Director of Children & Young People’s Service would investigate the correspondence between the Council and the PCT regarding the suspension of universal services and circulate details to Committee Members.  It was noted that there was never the intention to completely withdraw the provision of universal Health Visitor services and the Committee emphasised the importance of a health visitor presence in children centres.

The Committee enquired about extended services and noted that the initiative offered extended child care from 8am until 6pm including breakfast and after school clubs but also events such as Dads Day and other events based on the needs of communities to encourage maximum use of children’s centres at the weekend. 

It was noted that Ofsted would start to inspect children’s centres from April 2010 and that the Committee asked that it be given the opportunity to review the outcome of the current Equalities Impact Assessment (EIA) of children’s centres. 

RESOLVED that the actions taken in response to the recommendations of the Overview & Scrutiny Committee Review of Children’s Centres in 2008 be noted.