Don’t ghettoise children

Published: 16 December, 2010

• WE must respond to the widespread resignation in the face of the proposed cuts to play services, exemplified by Labour councillor Heather Johnson, and her comment that “anywhere that we pick there is somebody who doesn’t want us to make that cut… when it comes down to it we only have so much money in the bank.” 

Her argument to accept the inevitable rests on nothing more than a weak generalisation. It certainly does not absolve the council of their duty to analyse and acknowledge the full ramifications of cuts and to take responsibility for making informed judgments about where cuts should be made.

The New Journal has published the fears of many readers that the closure of play centres will result in a shortage of affordable childcare, which will force some parents on to benefits. When examined in conjunction with the proposed reduction in early years nursery provision from 25 to 15 hours per week, what one sees is the erosion of wrap-around care.  

Wrap-around care – universal subsidised childcare which slots around the school day making life less hell for working parents and work just possible for low-income families and single mums – was barely up and running in Camden, and is now being completely scrapped. 

Children are at the heart of our community in many ways and Camden play services have a central role in fostering social cohesion and community understanding.  

Children’s early years experience is vital to their development, which in turn is key to the wellbeing of society. Camden is a uniquely diverse borough and the wonderful thing about its play centres is that everyone mixes. Children play with children from different backgrounds, and people who are very different bond through finding common ground as parents. You don’t find this elsewhere in the borough. 

The closure of these community centres will be a terrible loss.

Play services also help alleviate the problems associated with inadequate housing, which is a pressing problem for an inner-London borough like Camden. Many children in our borough live in overcrowded conditions with large families in tiny flats. The space provided by play services is crucial to the wellbeing of these children. 

 The council’s promise to “commission a smaller number of play services from the voluntary sector… focused on vulnerable families” is ludicrous, effectively promising to ghettoise vulnerable children, of which there will no doubt be many more if the council removes affordable childcare. 

We’ve set up a website, http://savecamdenchildcare.tumblr.com, and an online petition http://www.gopetition.com/petition/41316.html to help residents who want to campaign against the cuts to these services.  

ANNE HARTMAN & GILES PERRY 
Bartholomew Villas, NW5