Waltham Forest Labour is delighted to be able to share that we’ve been able to secure millions of pounds in further investment for our Children and Family centres from central government as part of their Family Hubs and Start for Life programme. Our Children and Family Centres provide a great range of support services and the wonderful staff have fantastic dedication and local knowledge.
This new funding will enable our Family Hubs to deliver an even more comprehensive offer right at the heart of their neighbourhoods, and deepen their outreach work to ensure we are supporting all of the diverse communities that make up the areas they serve. Improvements will include further expanding and integrating the range of services on offer at our Centres, as well as improving the family journey to access services such as family support, wellbeing, health and learning activities.
Cllr Alistair Strathern, Cabinet member for Children and Young People says
“Our Children and Family Centres provide invaluable support they provide for families right across the Borough. It’s a matter of considerable pride that we have been able to continue to protect and invest in our Centres, ensuring they match our ambitious vision to give every young person in Waltham Forest the best start in life. This hasn’t always been easy given the challenges in local authority finances over the last decade, but reflects the strong political priority we place on support for children and their families to tackle the sources of inequality at root.”
This ambitious vision for our Children and Families Centres will be complemented by our manifesto commitment to establish four Youth Hubs across the borough, providing local safe spaces for our young people that offer what they need where they need it. Cllr Kizzy Gardiner has been leading on building out our vision for these Hubs, and two new pilot sites open last month in Leytonstone and Chingford under the SpaceForAll brand. These pilots build on the success of the Outset Centre in Walthamstow, and will be invaluable in helping to inform the design of our final Hub offer. More details of the pilots can be found here: https://www.walthamforest.gov.uk/space4all
In addition to this, our Council has been awarded £210,000 by national government to create three new Changing Places Toilets. These toilets are adapted for people with limited mobility, providing extra equipment and space so they can use the bathroom with ease and comfort. The funding will support every resident to move around the borough with the security of knowing there is a bathroom which caters to their needs. The new toilets will be installed at Priory Court Community Centre, Leyton Jubilee Park and Ridgeway Park and there are already plans to install Changing Places toilets in the new Civic Building, Coronation Square and Soho Theatre Walthamstow.