Children's Centres
Latest news and information
For more information about Children's Centres contact your local Children's Centre Adviser:
| Exeter and East Devon | South and West Devon | Mid and North Devon |
| Nic Dunn | Tania Skinner | Calendula Bowen |
| Kingfisher House, Western Way, Exeter, EX1 2DE | Haytor View Primary School, Sandringham Road, Newton Abbot, TQ12 4HD | Civic Centre, North Walk, Barnstaple, EX31 1EE |
| 01392 385534 or 07817477669 | 01626 324982 or 07969 684588 | 01392 388901 or 07969 725863 |
| nicola.dunn@devon.gov.uk | tania.skinner@devon.gov.uk | calendula.bowen@devon.gov.uk |
Latest News
- Ofsted Inspection reports for Teignmouth
(111KB - pdf help) and ABC (116KB - pdf help) - Devon selected as pilot for new payment by results scheme for children's centres
- Smokefree South West Training
- Useful links
Devon selected as pilot for new payment by results scheme for children's centres
Devon is one of just nine local authorities that has been selected as the first to trial a new way of payment by results for its 43 children's centres across the county. The County Council is one of nine chosen for the original pilot, with up to 21 further trials to be announced early in the autumn.
Councils across the country were invited to apply to become one of the pilot authorities. Devon's successful submmission builds on its existing plans to improve life chances for children between birth and five years.
The experience of the trial areas will help the Government and local authorities develop a final set of measures so that payment by results can be rolled out nationally from 2013-14. The measures to be tested by the trial areas may include:
- Early Years Foundation Stage Profile assessments – to narrow the gap in attainment at age five so more children start school achieving the expected level
- Breastfeeding prevalence at 6-8 weeks – to be developed in partnership with the Department of Health’s plan for a Health Premium for public health outcomes
- Parenting/home learning environment – for example, completion of evidence-based parenting programmes by vulnerable families
- Sustained contact with families in greatest need – so that children’s centres are targeting families most in need of their services effectively.
The Government has also announced that it will be creating a new role to help support outreach with vulnerable families through children’s centres. The appointed outreach system leader will act as an advocate for evidence-based outreach and family support programmes.
Councillor Andrea Davis, Devon County Council's lead member for Children and Cabinet Member for health said: "We welcome the opportunity to be one of the first local authorities in the country to be trialling this scheme, and to influence at the outset the way in which it can benefit Devon's families.
"We have just received our first outstanding Ofsted report for a children's centre, and there are a number of others across the county that are also showing superb outcomes for children and their families. These centres will benefit from this new scheme and have the chance to expand even further the tangible difference they make in their communities.
"The scheme will provide an incentive for all children's centres across the county to be the best they can be, with a strong focus on improving key health and educational targets for the whole family.
"We will use this opportunity to ensure Devon's voice is heard, and the needs of individual children's centre communities are best met through this funding."
Smokefree South West Training
Smoking in pregnancy is the most important preventable cause of a number of poor pregnancy outcomes such as low birth weight, miscarriage and premature birth. On average, 12.6% of mothers in Devon are known to have been smokers at the time of delivery.
The link below will take you to a short online training session which will enable you to have the confidence to raise the subject of smoking and to know where to signpost people to get support.
It is recommended that all Children's Centre staff complete this short online training session.
Smokefree South West online training
