'Don't close children's centres'

PARENTS BEG COUNCIL TO MAKE U-TURN AND 'NOT TAKE AWAY LIFELINE'

- By PHILIP JAMES LYNCH

WEST London parents have called on their local council to u-turn on plans to close 12 children’s centres in the borough.

A demonstration was held on Wednesday (May 14) with parents, centre staff and opposition councillors attending.

Ealing Council voted overwhelmingly in favour of the budget in March, which included measures to close 12 of the borough’s 25 children’s centres.

Despite pleas from parents, the council has given no indication that it plans to change course.

Kinga is a mother who uses the children’s centres in the borough. She described them as vital in supporting mothers looking after their mental health.

She said: "For me, I’m a mother of one child, I don’t have family here or a support network around me and the centres were a lifesaver. It helped me get back to work, it let my son socialise, it let us mothers connect about what works for them and how we raise our babies."

She added: "If they really close them... I can’t, I can’t even think about it."