A CHILDREN’S Centre will be operating in every part of the borough within the next 12 months to ensure youngsters in Bolton have the very best start in the life.

Work is now underway to develop centres to cover Bromley Cross, Heaton, Lostock and Smithills, Hulton, Westhoughton and Chew Moor, and Horwich and Blackrod after education chiefs received £703,000 from the Government.

A total of 18 children’s centres will be situated in the “hub” of their specific areas, so they can be used by between 800 and 1,000 children aged under five and their families.

Midwifery, health visitors, childcare, parent and family support services will be accessible through each centre.

The centres will also provide activities for youngsters to get involved in, which will be expanded depending on demands and needs in each area.

Mum Tracy Mulvaney, aged 29, from Farnworth, takes her two children to The Orchards Children’s Centre.

She said: “It is a really good centre — there are a lot of different activities for children to take part in and I can find a lot of information that I need.”

Her sister, Amy, aged 25, from Great Lever, who also takes her two children to the centre, said: “The activities help their development and I have a chance to meet other mums. Everybody with young children should have access to a centre like this.”

For the Bromley Cross, Horwich and Heaton areas, local libraries would provide bases for the centres. The Horwich area already has an existing, purpose-built centre.

In the Westhoughton area, St Mary’s CE Primary in Deane would be extended to accommodate the services.

A Bolton Council spokesman said: “Some 15 of the centres are now operational and the final three will be in place by April 2010. Ten of the centres operate from specific buildings, five are located within schools or other community venues and three operate in partnership with the library service.

“This is proving to be beneficial for the community as library buildings which are currently open for two-and-half days per week will soon be open full time.

“On some days the focus will be on the library with information about the children’s centre services, and on others the priority will be the children’s centre services and information about the library.

“Staff from both services will be able to answer public enquiries about the full range of services.”

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