1. Northamptonshire Children’s
Centres Plus Libraries
– a new fusion
Anne Morris & David Reed
6th March 2014

2. What’s in it for libraries?
-Family services/resources
-Family venues
-Open 7 days a week
-Joined up experience
-Families helping families
-Shared objectives
What’s in it for children’s centres?
-Shared vision, keeping families at the heart of everything we do
-Partnership working , sharing expertise, skills and knowledge
-Providing activities which meet the needs of the whole family
-Venues which are community hubs and accessible for all families
-Opportunity to deliver services across extended hours and 7 days a
week.
Why libraries and children’s centres?

3. Working In Partnership
to Improve Outcomes
For Families

4. Our Journey So Far
•2007-2013
3 Phase 2 Library led Children’s Centres co-located with libraries
•2013-2014
An additional 8 Phase 3 Library led Children’s Centres, 5 of which are co-
located in libraries
10,000 children aged 0-5 within reach areas
In Northamptonshire children start school in the September following their
4th birthday
95% of 3 year olds access their free entitlement to education
Increasing number of 2 year olds are now accessing free entitlement to
education
Highest number of children accessing Children’s Centres are aged between
0-2years
98% of families list universal services as the reason they access Children’s
Centres

5. Our vision
LibraryPlus Children’s Centres
Working with families to build brighter
futures

6. Improving outcomes for families
What does that mean to families?
Why do they access services at Children’s Centres and
Libraries ?

13. From June 2014 LibraryPlus will be delivering
universal children’s centre services
from 36 libraries across the county
From August 2014 up to 10 contractors will be
delivering
targeted children’s centre services
from 10 Early Help Forum areas
Children’s Centres & Libraries – a new fusion
Currently: all children’s centre services are delivered from 50 centres
across the county by a range of providers including 11 by LibraryPlus

14. NCC LibraryPlus
•Information & Advice
•CC Registration
•Volunteer Management
•Activities eg.rhymetimes
•Annual Family Survey
Future delivery model
Commissioned
Contractors
• Targeted services
• Complementary universal
services

15. Why are LibraryPlus delivering
Universal Services?
• Heart of communities
• Excellent reputation & track record
• Recognised innovators
• Staff & Customer Service Excellence
• Council Plan:
-getting it right for children & families
-enabling children & young people to achieve their best
in education, ready for work, skills for life
-helping children grow up healthy with improved life
chances

16. Additional Resources:
16 fte additional staff, including customer
advisors, volunteer co-ordinators, data inputters
and performance analyst

17. 1. Advice, Information & Guidance
• Promoting targeted children’s centre services
• Assisting with ‘step up’ and ‘step down’ solutions
• Holistic approach

18. 2. Registration for Children’s Centre
services
• Warm, welcoming & stigma-free
• Speed

19. Welcome Events
- Partnering with Registrars
- From April: 7 libraries (& via 7 Registrars)
- twice weekly welcome event based around Rhymetime
Key Elements of Welcome Events
- Welcoming!
- Join the library and Bear Club
- Register for children’s centre services
- Receive BS Baby Bag gift

20. 3. Volunteering Management
• Assisting Contractors with promotion,
recruitment and retention of volunteers
including peer mentors & centre advisory boards
• Providing OFSTED evidence

21. 4. Universal Events
• 72 events every week
– 36 at weekends
– 50 weeks per year

22. Together, we make a big difference

23. Anne Morris
LibraryPlus Children’s Centre Development Lead
amorris@northamptonshire.gov.uk
01604 660526
David Reed
Principal Librarian, Children, Families & Schools
dreed@northamptonshire.gov.uk
01604 367954
Thank you
Any questions?