South Quadrant Children’s Centres
Anne Armstrong
Assistant Director for Children’s Services
Essex Children’s Centres
South Quadrant
Barnardo’s, CAVS, PSLA
Vision
Our vision is of innovative
children’s centres which act
as a community resources
for families supporting and
facilitating all to achieve
their aspirations and
potential
Barnardo’s Today
Largest children's charity in
the UK
• We support more than 190,000
vulnerable and disadvantaged
children, young people and their
families every year through 800+
services
• We are one of the largest
providers of Children’s Centres
inc. Buckinghamshire, Cumbria,
Birmingham, Devon etc.
Our Basis & Values
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Christianity: Barnardo’s derives its inspiration and
values from the Christian faith
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Other Influences: These values, enriched and shared by
many people of other faiths and beliefs, provide the basis
of our work with children and young people, their families
and communities
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Value the contribution of others: We value the
contributions of everyone who works with Barnardo’s
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Respecting the unique worth of every person
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Encouraging people to fulfil their potential
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Working with hope
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Exercising responsible stewardship
Barnardo’s works in the areas of:
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Child poverty
Children in trouble
Education
Sexual abuse
Children in care
Advocacy
Fostering, adoption
and short break care
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Sexual exploitation
Substance misuse
Homelessness
Domestic violence
Parenting support
Disability, inclusion
Young carers
Political campaigning
What we do…
• Barnardo’s believes in children regardless of
their circumstances, gender, race, disability or
behaviour. We believe in the abused, the
vulnerable, the forgotten and the neglected
• We will support them, stand up for them and
bring out the best in each and every child.
• With the right help, committed support and a little
belief, even the most vulnerable children can
turn their lives around
• We do all this because we
believe in children
Partnership
We are a unique multidisciplinary partnership that
has come together with a
shared passion for
supporting children and
empowering families and
communities to improve the
life chances of children in
south Essex
How we will achieve this
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Building on the best
Cluster working
Partnership working
Innovation through empowerment
Resources to front line working
Safeguarding
National and local expertise
Out reach to in reach
Increase use of volunteers providing
routes into employment
• Skilled and supported workforce
South Quadrant Structure
South Quadrant Delivery
Structure
CAVS
Castle Point
(6 Centres)
PSLA
Rochford /
Wickford
Cluster
(7 Centres)
Barnardo’s core Strategic
Manager,
Finance/HR/MIS/Q
A functions
Basildon
Cluster
Barnardo's
(8 Centres)
Brentwood
/ Billericay
Cluster
Barnardo's
(6 Centres)
We aim to achieve in Essex Children’s
Centres:
 A quadrant-wide service which is a community
resource of targeted and universal services to families
with children from pre-birth to age 5 that identify
needs early and prevent emerging problems for
children and families from escalating.
 Our commitment is to focus our resources and our
efforts on the most vulnerable and disadvantaged
families that will benefit the most from our support
within a universal setting
Core purpose
Improving outcomes for young children
and their families, and reducing
inequalities
• Child development and School readiness
• Supported by parenting aspirations, self
esteem and parenting programme.
• Child and Family Health
Core purpose continued….
• Assessing strengths and needs across the
area to inform local commissioning of local
services.
• Providing access to high quality universal
services in the area
• Using Evidence – Based approaches to
deliver targeted family centred support
• Acting as hub for local community, building
social capital and social cohesion
Core purpose continued…..
• Sharing expertise with other early years
settings to improve quality.
• Respecting and engaging parents
• Partnership working
Service Delivery
• Universal services i.e. stay and plays, drop
in’s
• Parenting and Family support – home
visiting , structured parenting programmes
and information on childcare.
• Improve parental aspirations- access to
Adult Learning this includes employment
support , training and volunteering
opportunities.
• Health activities delivered onsite.
Service Delivery Continued…
• Links with specialist services i.e. Debt
advice, CAHMS, Social Care, Supporting
children with additional needs.
Outcomes
• NI 72 'Raising the Attainment for all Children' the
percentage of children in each Children’s Centre reach
area to achieve at least 78 points across the EYFS
profile with at least 6 points each in PSED and in CLLNI
• NI 92 'Narrowing the Gap' -The gap between the median
score of children in the reach area and the mean score
of the lowest achieving 20% of children in the reach
area, as a % of the median score all children in the reach
area.
Example of Effective Working Together
Communication & Language Project
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Information from local schools in Billericay indicated a falling level of
language acquisition in children in Reception classes in Billericay schools.
Billericay Community Trust speech & language support worker identified
and supported 73 children with speech & language communications needs
in the six reception classes within the reach area of the two Billericay
Children’s Centres
Jointly visited 20 early year’s settings (pre-schools, nurseries etc) in
Billericay to share information and good practice and increase knowledge
of Language and Communication skills and services available, such as
NHS Drop-in and Children’s Centre support
End of year data
2009/10
2010/11
2011/12
BAS1 Billericay CC
reach area
57.5%
56%
72%
BAS11 Sunnyside
CC reach area
53.2%
53%
75.4%
Increase in NI 72 % from 2010/11 to 2011/12:
30 more children in BAS1 reach area – across 4 schools
40 more children in BAS11 reach area – across 2 schools
Potential benefits of working
together
• Improving attendance
• Supporting learning
• Contribution to Children’s Centre
governance – understanding of local need,
planning and shaping services.
Working Together in 2013
Next Steps for Children’s
Centres and Schools in South
Essex ?
And finally….
• A dynamic and vibrant service which
actively seeks to meet the needs of young
families and children
• Continuous consultation with all
stakeholders
• Continuous empowerment of service users
• Happy and thriving children