"I was severely depressed, actually on the verge of walking out on my children, thinking I could just walk to the shops and not come back...They have helped me turn my life completely around..." Sheridan
OMG! There's so many parents coming out of Lower Broughton Children's Centre to show their support for the campaign to save the place that we can hardly fit them on the photo… They just keep coming, loads of them… each wanting to show the world their babies and toddlers - and what Salford Council, via the ConDem Government, is proposing to remove from them.
Lower Broughton Children's Centre was purpose built as part of River View Primary School, opened less than three years ago right in the heart of the `New Broughton' regeneration area. It's in the process of being regenerated because the area is also one of the main centres of poverty in the city.
All around, new family houses are being built but at the Children's Centre, most sessions are already full with people actually being turned away. Over 350 families use the facilities every week but Salford Council is proposing to close the place, and relocate and merge it with the Higher Broughton Children's Centre which is miles away.
The parents are eager to impress that this children's centre, and others, don't just do fun sessions and clinics for babies and toddlers but are a vital part of the community. As well as helping to integrate the diverse local community in Lower Broughton, staff help parents get through difficult day-to-day and life issues – everything from parenting skills, to supporting those in abusive relationships; from guidance on debt and money problems, to finding furniture for those who literally don't have a sofa for their kids to sit on.
Staff also aid parents in their bid to get work, through courses, qualifications, work experience and volunteering opportunities. In short, in one of the most poverty stricken areas in Salford, Lower Broughton Children's Centre is changing lives. In purely financial terms, the place is helping parents get off benefits, which helps solve poverty and saves the city money in long term. It's just ludicrous to shut the Centre down…
"I think it's disgusting" says Sheridan Capper "I'm sure they can find the cuts from somewhere else that's not as important."
Sheridan should know. Since January last year she's been volunteering at Lower Broughton, getting work experience and qualifications in the hope of getting a job.
"It's the reason why I'm volunteering that I find important" she explains "I've got two small children, I was severely depressed, actually on the verge of walking out on my children, thinking I could just walk to the shops and not come back. So I spoke to someone at the school who referred me to the Children's Centre. They got me enrolled on a parenting course and helped me all the way through it, helped me deal with problems from my past and helped me come to terms with past issues.
"Everything's now been resolved" she adds "And it's knowing they are there if I'm going through any kind of problems. They have helped me turn my life completely around - and that's their aim. To make impressions on people's families and lives. They've made a great impact on mine. I'm a lot happier with my children and my family life. I've started volunteering because I thought `If I can give something back and help one family, then that's just personal gratification for me'."
"It just shows that what they do is very important and the fact that they are based within the school even more so because they are able to help with early intervention where the teachers can pick up on anything and refer it straight away to the Children's Centre" she says "If they can get to the problem early it saves a hell of a lot of money later on."
Sheridan was actually being trained up for a job at the Centre, while volunteering, and she's already half way through a college course to get the right qualifications. Now her future is in jeopardy… "It's such a shame" she says.
Bek Stacy and Elaine Connor were staggered when news came through that the Centre was being cut and shut. They joined with other parents and formed the Save Lower Broughton Children's Centre campaign which has been incredibly vocal at demonstrations and rallies throughout Salford and beyond (see here and see here) with accompanying online and paper petitions and colourful placards*.
Their campaigning has almost forced the Council to listen, with ward councillor John Merry - who's also Assistant Mayor for Children and Young People – now trying to help the group avoid his own cuts.
"He's had a lot of earache" laughs Elaine "I started an online petition so that every time someone signed it he got an email – I think he got ten in one morning, before 9am! Then he came to see to have a chat and asked my opinion. He asked what we do and I said `It's not just a stay and play; you name it, it's here, staff will help you as much as they can'.
"If we hadn't done the campaign we'd be closing, I'm sure of it" she explains "Everybody should get out there and do a campaign, and if they want any help get in touch with me on Facebook. Get signs made, get petitions and make a fuss!"
Bek also had a meeting with Councillor Merry and feels quite positive that the centre can be partly saved…
"They are looking at alternative sources of income, which might involve using the centre for other things and hopefully we can keep some of the services running, with the staff based here rather than being based elsewhere in the community" she says "I think that's one of the valuable things - that there are staff here for advice, encouragement, a shoulder to cry on or someone to rant at. It's important that staff stay here. Those are the things we're fighting for. We will see how that pans out.
"This is a beautiful facility and it gets used" she adds "It's purpose built for the community. It's not like they just gave us a room to use, it was built as a children's centre so let's keep it as a children's centre."
Lower Broughton Children's centre may be purpose built but the Salford Star understands that the Council pays a rent to River View Primary School of around £20,000 a year – to a school that the Council actually built and finances.
We tried to ask the Head Teacher of River View whether he would just give the Centre the space rent free which would help it to survive. He never returned our phone call. But Councillor Merry resonded…
"Arrangements for the renting of school space for children's centre provision are standard across all schools that have centres on site" he said "The sum of rent is calculated to ensure the school is compensated for the use of the building by the additional provision , heating, lighting, insurance etc.
"Many of our schools, including River View have offered to work in partnership with us to provide some space for some children's centre provision to support the outreach model of delivery should the proposals be accepted" he explained "However no schools have made the offer for free for full time use. Schools receive funding for school age pupils, not pre-school and they are held accountable for providing good value for money for this funding."
Councillor Merry added that "We will continue to work with the campaign group this month to try to find a solution…"
The consultation on all cuts to Salford's Sure Start Children's centres runs until 30th June.
Meanwhile, campaigns are also running to save Fiddlers Lane Children's Centre in Irlam (see here) and St Paul's Children's Centre in Walkden (see here). Last week Elaine Humphreys from the St Paul's campaign was out at the Ellesmere Centre in Walkden collecting more signatures towards the goal of 3,000.
Tomorrow morning (Wednesday 10th June) campaigners will be joining other anti cuts campaigns by lobbying the full meeting of Salford Council from 8:30am outside the Civic Centre on Chorley Road in Swinton.
* To sign the petitions to Save Salford's Sure Start Children's centres...
Sign the Lower Broughton petition - click here - Facebook site - click here
Sign the St Paul's Walkden petition - click here - Facebook site - click here
Sign the Fiddlers Lane Irlam petition - click here Facebook site - click here
* See also related Salford Star articles...
* Salford Council has a £6.5million pot of money set aside for cuts it cannot make, plus the questions to Salford councillors that remain unanswered -click here
* How Salford Council treats vulnerable people fighting cuts - click here
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