Fiaz Adopts Conservative Policy to Cut Childrens’ Centres

Taking her lead from the Tories!

In 1997, One of the Blair government flagship policies was to roll out Sure Start Centres across the country to give children the ‘best possible start in life’. This was to be achieved through the use of community buildings in each neighbourhood which would deliver early diagnostic services to the nought to five-year-olds picking up, at the earliest point, whether babies and children needed extra help. This would prevent much more expensive interventions later on in their lives.

There was sound academic research that this approach saves money and also transforms the early lives of the most vulnerable children, setting them on a sound platform for further success through the school system.

According to Ann Longfield, the former Children’s Commissioner for England, nationally 40% of children fail to meet their attainment goals when they enter school at age five. For children receiving free school meals, that figure is 50%. 

The investment in early years under the previous administration meant that by 2018, Newham was the only local authority in the country with no attainment gap between disadvantaged pupils and their more affluent peers at age five. This was important because it meant that, for the first time, Newham children entered formal schooling with something approaching equality with their middle-class peers.

This commitment to Newham’s children is now being ditched by the Fiaz administration.

The Conservative government, on assuming power in 2010 cut the Sure Start programme.  Nonetheless, eight of these Sure Start Centres survived and were rebadged as Children’s Centres paid for by London Borough of Newham. They continue to offer services such as parenting and family support; support for SEND children, health and wellbeing support and access to childcare. They provide a critical lifeline for parents and the most vulnerable children.

In her draft budget this year, the Mayor is proposing to cut three or four of the eight children centres. This will save £500,000 in the short term.

And this is where we see the true cost to ordinary people. While spending  vast sums on vanity projects, such as the Borough of Culture, the youngest children; those with the greatest needs are abandoned. Politics is about choices and the Mayor has made her choices known.

There has got to be an irony in that some Labour politicians declaim in earnest fashion about equity. When they have the opportunity to markedly improve the life chances of Newham children, these same politicians abandon the people that they so vociferously claim to support. We are minded of the thoughts of US Adlai Stephenson* about this type of politician.

This proposed cut also runs counter to current labour party thinking. 

In Westminster, the incoming Labour administration decided last year to open new Children Centres despite the tight financial climate. 

Bridget Phillipson, the shadow education minister, said last year

“Labour delivered a network of life-changing children’s centres from government. The Conservatives have closed over 1,300 children’s centres and watches on as thousands of childcare providers go to the wall.

“Only Labour can be trusted to deliver for families.”

It seems Mayor Fiaz has decided to adopt a Conservative policy whilst ditching a Labour policy! 

This must make sense to somebody.

In the course of the Wales mayoralty, the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) in Newham had improved from 149th to 17th out of 150 local authorities by 2017. What we wonder, is the current position?

*“A hypocrite is the kind of politician who would cut down a redwood tree, then mount the stump and make a speech for conservation.” 
Adlai Stephenson; USA Ambassador to the UN and Democratic presidential candidate.