Family Centres are due to be cut.  Labour believes that is the wrong decision, and could potentially endanger vulnerable children in the city. One of the lines in the Tory Budget earlier this year was to restructure a service that supports very vulnerable children and their families: – 3 Family Centres run by the Council. 

Family Centres offer a unique service to children and families who are often in crisis. Families may be helped to stay together and children returned to live with their parents because of the specialised service offered by skilled and dedicated staff.

The service can often be a lifeline to many vulnerable families.

They provide informal advice and support, supervise contact between children who may be in foster care, and their parents and provide information and advice to children and vulnerable young people. They are centres of expertise for workers undertaking assessments for courts, working to improve parenting skills, supporting and advising couples where there may have been domestic violence and offer practical support for developing basic day to day skills such as cooking. The work they undertake is also invaluable for courts dealing with proceedings involving children.

Cllr Sarah Bogle, having visited one of the centres with her colleague Cllr Carol Cunio, was impressed with the professionalism and dedication of the staff, handling very difficult situations. Cllr Bogle said: ‘‘This is a service that is being held up in other parts of the country as best practice to be copied, and is, I believe, a reason why, despite high social work caseloads, Southampton has not had a Baby P case’’.

Cllr Matt Stevens, Labour spokesperson for children’s services, said: ‘’This is an example of how ‘joined-up’ working and prevention can really make a difference’’.

Southampton-based family lawyer, Ginnie Lambert, said: ‘‘I am most concerned about the closure of the family centres. In my experience, they have been a very successful service that supports families in real crisis.’’