PARENTS using Staffordshire County Council children’s centres for childcare services will no longer be able to do so under a shake-up in the county.
Cabinet members are expected next week to approve a package of measures which will see it pull out of the childcare market over the next 18 months to save £800,000 a year.
That is one of three recommendations being made to the cabinet following a consultation exercise.
The authority’s share of the childcare market in the county is 2.8 per cent and deputy leader of the authority Councillor Ian Parry said he hoped in future those services would be taken up by the private, independent and voluntary sectors but he was unable to guarantee the jobs of anyone working in the six centres which offer childcare.
Formerly known as Sure Start centres the childcare service was previously funded by money from the government but that backing was withdrawn leading to centres across the country closing.
Staffordshire’s 54 centres will all remain open offering a range of services.
Some 208 people responded to the consultation exercise.
