Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
Haringey Council to axe provision of After School Clubs in the Borough
Haringey Council are to axe all provision of After School Clubs in the Borough. My children attend South Harringay Primary school and use the After School Club at the Falkland Play Centre. This is one of 8 play centres across the borough that the council describe as offering Ofsted approved, safe, reliable and fun childcare during term time and in the school holidays for children aged 4½ to 12 years old throughout the year.
However, the council has pulled all support for the centres and will force schools to provide cover instead. I received a letter outlining the proposed removal of support for after school clubs on 11th February 2011, the letter states that if agreed, the proposals would be fully implemented by July 2011 with a transition period between April and June 2011. However, this consultation appears to be a sham as the council has already put in motion plans to stop support by 31st March. This gives parents/carers who rely on after school club very little time to organise an alternative.
If the school does not provide cover, the centre will close after 31st March 2011. Regardless of the ridiculously short-time frame, no official communication has been passed on to parents about the potential closure of the After School Clubs. Moreover, is the council acting illegally by pretending to conduct a consultation while at the same time putting in place the plans to remove all provision for After School Clubs? Why go through the motions when the decision has already been made?
Tags for Forum Posts: childcare, public spending cuts
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by BBU on
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This is a classic example of Haringey council's "consult and implement" strategy but something has to pay for the annual office Christmas piss up party.
Can we sign against the closure of the support?
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Permalink Reply by John McMullan on
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The simple truth is, people with children requiring this care will now have to pay for it. Chequebooks at the ready.
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Permalink Reply by Pat on
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It's not necessarily about the money. Those that can afford to use the service already pay and a quick unscientific straw poll suggest that they (including myself) would be "happier" to pay an increased fee to have the service continue. The biggest impact will be on parents who would struggle to afford private provision or cannot afford to reduce work hours and do not have sufficient support systems to rely on. Furthermore, it removes a valuable resource for parents who do not want to go down the child minder route. One of my biggest gripes is the fact that Council is wasting money on a sham consultation when the decision has already been made.
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I always look at the difference in fees between "private" and "state" here and wonder why there isn't something in between. Schools in New Zealand can charge a "donation" to cover extra-ciricular suff. Some of the "very good" schools are a little too nasty about enforcing the donation but it has meant that after school sports has survived.
All these baby-boomers want to retire on their final salary pension plans, the children ineligible to vote will bear the brunt.
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Permalink Reply by matt on
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UPDATE: 14 March- meeting with Ian Bailey, Deputy Director, Children’s Services
COMMISSIONING UPDATE
***VENUE CONFIRMED*** Turkish Cypriot Community Centre, 628 Green Lanes N8 0SD
Dear colleagues
I can now update you on the venue of the meeting on Monday, which will be held at the Turkish Cypriot Community Centre on 14 March, 1-2pm (original email below).
The meeting will be with Ian Bailey, Deputy Director, Business Support and Development, within Haringey Council’s Children’s Services. He will be able to update us on changes to commissioning and the Council’s plans for the future, as I know many of you are affected by this and have not had sufficient information.
I hope that you will be able to attend.
Regards
Olivia Darby
Networks and Policy Officer
HAVCO (Haringey Association of Voluntary and Community Organisations)
Unit 336, Lee Valley Technopark
Ashley Road
Tottenham
London N17 9LN
Tel: 020-8880 4079
Fax: 020-8880 4088Website: www.havcoharingey.org.uk
E-mail: od@havcoharingey.org.uk
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Permalink Reply by Birdy_Too on
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Ahh, another kick in the teeth of working parents, Monday 14th March 1-2pm. Surely this whole meeting is about provision for childcare within working hours (outside of school times) and they schedule a meeting that most will not be able to attend.
John, most people do pay for this service ourselves included. Shortsighted central government policy, ill thought out and badly timed local authority policy.
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Agree, agree, agree but they want you to pay more.
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They haven't even given us the option. As far as I can tell they are just pulling the plug and "recommending'' that schools provide the service instead. This is beyond the normal after school activities that many schools already provide, such as sports clubs, music clubs etc.
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No criticism of you Mages, just seems an odd time to have it, when most of the target group is at work?
We use the Falkland Centre and know many who do for many years. The staff are first class and having spoke to many of them are deeply upset at the short notice and short-sightedness of all this. We are still unsure whether NHP will be providing something, but Easter is looming and with no holiday club planned, what are people to do? I am pretty sure my wife has an email list for the parents of the Falkland Centre and has being pushing NHP and HC to find a solution. I shall get her to pass the above information on.
John, dunna mind paying a bit more for this vital service although the council has given no time or considered anybody in all of this and definitely no consultation on the best way forward. I think we should all just go on the dole, claim all the benefits and make a bigger hole in the finances of the local authority, joking aside this unfortunately will be the only option for some.
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Permalink Reply by Laura on
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As a user of Falkland Playcentre (which is absolutely brilliant and, don't forget, rated "Outstanding" by OFSTED) I'm interested to hear about a meeting at which a member of Haringey Council will be present.
Please could someone tell me why HAVCO are involved? Is it because they too might be loosing Council support and also want to know what's going on???
To reiterate points already made here, Haringey Council have not given parents/users of Falkland Playcentre enough information about closing dates, alternative provision, etc etc etc.
The only communication we've had from Haringey is the letter outlined above. This letter says the closure is a PROPOSAL, yet the staff say they have been made redundant and have their leaving dates confirmed.
Haringey Council are bungling this big time.....
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The posting about the meeting with Ian Bailey relates to a meeting convened for the Voluntary Sector in Haringey who are
or maybe involved in commissioning of services for children and young
people, rather than schools services. A bit of confusion there.
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