A £250,000 grant from NHS Northwest will help ensure that the full range of health and emotional wellbeing services are available in children's centres and other community settings in the west of the county.
The funding has been given to Cumbria County Council and will be used for buildings and equipment for the second phase of children's centres in the area that will be operational from 2008.
Some of the money - around £60,000 - has also been given to the Cumbria Partnership NHS Trust to help provide more accessible and family friendly mental health facilities for children and young people in Whitehaven. The Trust is currently replacing and improving the existing facilities at the West Cumberland Hospital. These are inappropriate and in a poor condition.
The new facilities will be more comfortable, family friendly and much nicer to use.
Jonathan Comber is the Young People's Services Operations manager for the Cumbria partnership NHS Trust. He said:
"In the same way that health staff will be working more from children's centres and extended schools across West Cumbria, we are looking forward to staff from our other partnerships making use of our new facilities to work with the children, young people and families we are here to support."
The £250,000 grant from the NHS is the latest example of strong partnership working in the county between health services and the county council's Children's Services to ensure families can access the help and support they need as early as possible.
Anne Sheppard is the Lead Manager for Emotional Wellbeing for Children's Services. She said;
"This funding will help us in our commitment to make it easier for families to see the professionals they need all in the one place, and to have services coming to the child rather than the other way round.
"In Cumbria, all the agencies involved in providing services to children and families are committed to working together to ensure that parents and carers receive the support they need in the right place, at the right time."
End
Further information from Kate Robinson, Marketing & Communications officer, Children's Services on (01900) 325064
Notes
Children's Centres have been developed as 'one stop shops' for parents - a place where they can get help and information on services in their local area for both themselves and their children. The services they offer include:
- good quality early learning combined with day care
- child and family health services, including antenatal services
- family support services
- a base for a childminder network
- links with Jobcentre Plus to support parents/carers who are considering training or employment
- drop in sessions and other activities for children and carers