Making a difference to the people of Medway

Portfolio Holder addresses Home-Start Medway AGM

Press release posted on Monday, 12 July 2010

On Friday (9th July) Medway Council’s Portfolio Holder for Children’s Social Care Cllr David Wildey addressed the Home-Start Medway’s AGM.

Cllr Wildey spoke about the challenges faced by social care services around the country after the tragic death of Baby P and the increase in child deprivation and thanked Home-Start for all their invaluable contribution to supporting families in Medway.

He said:

"Thanks to Home-Start there are hundreds of young people in Medway who will grow up to do better than they might otherwise have done because they were able to get the support of people who have good parenting experience.

"This is enormously important, especially at a time when families are facing huge pressures."

Cllr Wildey also commented about the new opportunities presented by the coalition government. He said:

"The new government is fully commitment to Sure Start, a scheme that has been extremely successful here in Medway. We now have Sure Start centres serving 22 areas in Medway, which means that every family with a child under 5 years can access a local service.

"We also know that the coalition aims to take Sure Start back to its original purpose focusing on early intervention. As the Deputy Prime Minister has said "helping families prevent problems, rather than just trying to pick up the prices once it’s already too late".

"The Prime Minister David Cameron has also spoken of his desire to involve organisations who have a track record of supporting families, such as Home-Start, in the running of children’s centres and to reach out to disadvantaged families.

"Whilst tackling the deficit is their main objective, it is clear that they are keen to build a Britain that is fit for all our children to grow up in. And it is a place that Home-Start will continue to have an important role to play."

Chairman of Home-Start Medway Wendy Purdy thanked Cllr Wildey for his speech and said that “thanks to the great partnership working with Medway Council, and the grant they provide, Home-Start are able to offer a service which is well regarded throughout the community."

ENDS