Objections to plans for closure of specialist nursery in Burbage

COUNCIL SAYS ITS PROPOSALS FOR MORE ALLOCATIONS AWAY FROM SPECIALISED UNITS WILL BE BETTER FOR FAMILIES AND CHILDREN

- By TESS RUSHIN

‘OUR specialist children will suffer significantly’ - that is the view of one member of staff who works ata specialist nursery Leicestershire County Council is proposing to close.

A petition entitled ‘Stop the closure of specialist preschool SEND settings’ has also been created which has gained more than 2,800 signatures.

The petition starter, Maria Twit-tey, said closing the centres would “deny children the opportunity to access specialised resources and trained staff who understand and cater to their unique developmental needs”.

However, Leicestershire County Council has said the proposals will create more accessible and inclusive SEND nursery places in Leicestershire.

The authority said the proposals, which are out for consultation, include the provision of extra funding for nursery places for children with additional needs in mainstream settings closer to home, rather than the four specialist nurseries, which include Lift Beacon in Loughborough, Oasis Retreat in Melton Mowbray, and the Menphys sites at Wigston and Sketchley Hill in Burbage.

The council said some of the buildings would be repurposed to provide additional SEND places for statutory school aged children and young people.

One staff member, who asked to remain anonymous, said specialist children would “suffer significantly” as a result of the changes, and added: “Their learning, mental health, and physical health will all be affected.”

They said the four specialist settings provide “consistency, understanding, and specialist support that cannot simply be replicated overnight” They also believe the closure of the nurseries will have a huge knock-on effect on mainstream children, “whose learning and development also benefit greatly from inclusive environments”