Consultation underway on proposed changes to day care
Friday 19 August 2011
A consultation on proposed changes to nurseries managed by the Council is now underway.
People are being encouraged to take part and give their views on proposed changes which look at how the 10 nurseries - based in Children's Centres in Middle Ride (Willenhall), Barley Lea (Stoke Aldermoor), Canley, Tile Hill, Radford, Foleshill, Hillfields, Stoke Heath, Moat House (Wood End) and Bell Green - could support more vulnerable children and their families and deliver the service in a more cost effective way.
Specifically people are being asked about the Council's preferred option of keeping the nurseries in all 10centres but reducing the service from full-time daycare to part-time care for children over two years and what impact this would have. The consultation is also giving people an opportunity to suggest alternative proposals.
Councillor Lynnette Kelly, Cabinet Member for Education, said: "It's really important that people tell us their views and the impact that going ahead with the proposed changes would have on families.
"Over the next few months we'll be holding events in each of the Children's Centres involved so we can hear directly from parents and we'll be speaking to other daycare providers and services to find out what they think.
"We know the cost of running our nurseries is much higher than other providers and we need to tackle this. At the moment the Council subsidises this service by £1.8 million and we need to look at ways of reducing this cost in the light of the financial pressures the Council is facing.
"By providing part-time rather than full-time care, we can keep all our nurseries, continue to provide quality childcare and work closely with those families who sometimes need an extra bit of help and support."
"The Council currently provides 7% of all the childcare places available across the city, and from our work we know that there are other child care providers who currently have vacant places for full-time daycare."
The consultation will be open until November, and people can take part online at www.coventry.gov.uk/consultations or by attending events at Children's Centres.
A report will be taken back to Cabinet in the Autumn for them to make a decision about the future delivery of the service.
