Proposed cuts to children and families support service in Burnley

The consultation starts today and people and organisations have until Friday March 8th to share their views on the proposal to reduce the number of buildings used to deliver the service and to work within the community in a more flexible way.

The service supports children, young people, parents and families, and prioritises those most in need. It helps them to stay fit and well and ensure they are less likely to need social care support.

It does this by targeting families where early help will make the biggest difference. The service connects with families using one-to-one support between a worker and a family, group sessions held in community buildings such as village halls, outreach events at people's homes, schools and cafés, and work with young people on the streets.

This latest consultation follows a county-wide consultation last summer, where people were invited to share their views following a cabinet decision to reduce the budget for the children and family wellbeing service by £1.2m.

The consultation focuses on seven buildings.

Louise Taylor, the county council's executive director of adult services, health and wellbeing, said: "We remain committed to providing the best services we can to the people of Lancashire, particularly to the people in our communities who are in greatest need of our support.

"The Children and Family Wellbeing Service is a key part of this. However, the council's financial position remains extremely challenging, and we need to look at how we can do things differently whilst still providing support to those who need our help.

"The way the service works has changed. It's now much more about getting out and about, going to people's homes, or providing support in the heart of their communities. It's a different approach than the traditional building-based service where the support was provided from an office or centre.

"The consultation last year gave people the opportunity to have their say about the service across the county. We've considered people's views and altered our proposals for the service in Burnley and Rossendale.

"We know that many people value our service to children and families and we must emphasise that what we do and how we support people is not changing, and that we will continue to find the best ways to bring the service to the children and families we support.

"Now we want to know what you think about our new proposal. This will be considered again by cabinet before a final decision is made.

The proposals now involve delivering the children and family wellbeing service from:

• The Chai Centre

• Whitegate Children and Family Wellbeing Services (Whitegate Children's Centre)

• Whitworth Library (please note - this building is a new proposal and was not included in the original consultation proposals)

Withdrawing the service delivery from:

• Stoneyholme and Daneshouse Children and Family Wellbeing Services (Stoneyholme and Daneshouse Young People's Centre)

• Padiham Young People's Centre

• Whitworth Young People's Centre

• Whitworth Children and Family Wellbeing Services (Whitworth Children's Centre)

To take part in the consultation, visit [http://www3.lancashire.gov.uk/corporate/consultation/responses/response.asp?ID=363 our consultation page]