Library and Registrar Case Study

Samantha Mclaren

Childrens Centre Cluster Co-ordinator

Ramsbottom and Tottington Childrens Centre

Cluster.

Paula Cockcroft

Children’s Centre Cluster Co-ordinator

Radcliffe Childrens Centre Cluster

How it all began?

• In 2007, Bury identified their next stage of Children’s

Centres. Ramsbottom Children’s Centre was designated as

a centre however it did not have a physical building.

• The area around Ramsbottom is a very rural area and for

families to access anything in the reach means either clamp

ons and climbing ropes or 2 buses.

• Partnership working began at this stage when the Co

ordinator approached the Library for possible part time

office use in the building.

(BIG MISTAKE!!!!)

• As soon as they said there was some capacity

( WE WERE IN THERE !!! )

• Initially the co ordinator shared an office with the Library

Supervisor and the inside information and knowledge of

who was who began.

• It was stated that “ if you want to know anything

…….stand at the library counter !!

(THIS IS SO TRUE)

• As the Children’s Centre staff team grew services began

to develop and team work across both agencies

strengthened.

• As the centre and library joined forces, the benefits to

families also began to show. People who had never set foot

in the library were now not only coming in to the library to

take part in activities they were also joining the library and

coming back on their own.

• Joint working and sharing of resources all supported

families being offered a wide and varied range of services.

This not only benefitted the families of children under 5

but Childminders, grandparents, library staff, private

providers and local businesses.

(It was a win, win situation overall)

What happened next?

• With the increasing development of services and parental

consultation, one of the issues that arose was the travelling

involved for families with new babies/ siblings to access

services in and around the area..

• (the area is so rural that in the winter of 2010, the only way

into Ramsbottom was by the steam train – we are not

joking !!)

• It made perfect sense to have services within the reach area

rather than expecting families to travel, become stressed

and children to miss out.

A joint meeting was held between Senior Managers from

• One of the items highlighted was that families had to travel

some distance to register the birth of their babies within the

required timescales.

• A joint meeting was held between Senior Managers from

the library, the Children’s Centre Co ordinator and the

Superintendant Registrar. Initially the support offered from

the registrar was promoting the centres and handing out

timetables

• After discussion with the library, the registrar was asked (

begged and threatened ) to offer the Birth registrations

actually in the library at Ramsbottom.

• Fortunately for us the Registrar said yes and the service

began.

• Each service involved had a part to play in this being

successful.

For example:

the Children’s Centre staff booked the families on,

bought the printer, advertised the service.

the library provided a room and computer access.

the Registrar carried out the service and also promoted

the Children’s Centres centrally at the Town Hall.

• The library at this time supported the Bookstart scheme

and families were encouraged to come into the library to

collect the age appropriate resources. Due to the Registrar

service being offered, the Bookstart resources could also

be collected for the younger age group that the library did

not originally offer. This shows again how families were

being supported to access this service at an earlier age.

• The families who came to register their child’s birth were

also asked to register with the Children’s Centre and were

given information and the opportunity to meet staff, book

on sessions and have any issues and concerns dealt with

promptly and at an earlier stage.

Some of the Benefits • The list is endless when you begin to breakdown the

benefits to children, families and partners.Some of these

include:

• Services are delivered on families “doorstep” Supporting

sustained attendance.

• The sharing of resources enables a wider range of

resources/ services to be offered.

• Families can access further services i.e. Adult Learning

courses, Library resources.

• A wide range of staff and expertise to hand. If we don’t

know, we know a “man who can”.

• Financial sharing of costs enables monies to be spent on

other services and delivery of additional sessions.

Some of the Benefits

• Partners gain knowledge of other services that in turn leads

to swifter referrals/ intervention.

• Supporting access to services that would not perhaps have

been accessed previously.

• Earlier intervention – support offered promptly.

• The Library became the “hub” and families began to

associate with the support they could access.

The story so far ……..

• Due to the success in Ramsbottom, the Registrar

developed the service further and now offers the Birth

registrations in 5 out of the 13 Childrens Centre buildings

in Bury.

• The most recent figures show that in total there has been

1,141Birth Registrations across Bury since July

2009(when records began)

• Ramsbottom : 255 . (2009) From July 13 to date 41

families have registered their child ‘s birth. Out of these,

40 (97%) are registered with the Children’s Centre.

• Besses: 253 (2010)

• Woodbank: 18 (2013)

• Sedgley: 316(2012)

• Radcliffe: 286 (2010) - From July 13 to date 55 families

have registered their child ‘s birth. Out of these, 54 (98%)

are registered with the Children’s Centre.

Bury was highlighted in the Best Practice for a Sure Start-

The way forward for Childrens Centres. Report from the

All Party Parliamentary Sure Start Group Available at

www.4Children.org.uk

Feedback / Comments from

parents “It ‘s the first time I had

actually been in a

Children’s Centre”

“I think it’s excellent that you

don’t have to traipse into the

town centre”

“Now I’ve met the staff I’m

not as shy and will come to the

sessions”

“I wouldn’t have had the

money to go into town to do

this”

“Until today I didn’t know

the library was here” “I now know what is going

on for my children”

“I didn’t know all this

went on in here”