DEPRIVED areas of Bolton are being given a major Government boost.
Sure Start Bolton is aimed at giving children a better start in life in by helping both them and their families in what are officially called "socially deprived" areas across the country.
Already it is up and running in a small way in Bolton but in the New Year it will really move into top gear with all kinds of melting pot ideas turned into reality. The official launch is in January.
The nerve centre will be a new, purpose-built centre in Oxford Grove but the scheme will radiate through the wider community and, although it is essentially Halliwell-based, it will affect a much bigger area.
The Government-backed project is managed by a partnership board, with the Community Education Service, Bolton Council and Primary Healthcare among the main players. But it is parent-led and all the activities within the project will be tailored to local needs as the parents themselves identify them.
Trained teacher Jane Brazil, of the Community Education Service, already runs ante-natal courses for the National Childbirth Trust and also runs parenting skills courses in Bolton.
She explained: "The remit of the CES is to provide learning facilities for parents of either sex. There are new courses on childcare and assertiveness at Slater Street Community Centre and there will be creche workers' courses aimed at giving people long term employment.
"The initial courses will cover such things as how children learn and how they play, but there will be the opportunity to move on to an NVQ course."
One group already up and running is a father and toddler group at Wolfenden Community Centre. The overriding aim of the whole Sure Start project is to improve the health and well-being of children from the moment they are born so that they start infants school on a more even keel with children in affluent neighbourhoods. The other aim is to help parents to help themselves and their offspring.
Under that heading will be efforts to improve the health of pregnant women with the aim of reducing the number of low birthweight babies in deprived areas.
There will be a team of project workers.
An advice and counselling service for families with young children where alcohol or drugs affect home life.
Affordable local childcare, play and learning opportunities for children and their parents.
Promotion of health, speech, language and dental services.
Specialised support for parents of disabled children.
Extra support for teenage parents.
Starting tomorrow, there is another series of open days where anyone from the community can go along to either discuss developments or make their own suggestions.
Tomorrow's event, from 10am to 2pm, is at Halliwell Health and Children's Development Centre at the bottom of Halliwell Road. On Friday, December 1 the venue is Brownlow Fold Community Centre from 11.30am to 2pm and on December 8, Lowndes Street Family Centre from 10am to 2pm.
There will be a free buffet and children's entertainment -- and Postman Pat will be calling in tomorrow at 1pm. The £2.4 million government grant pays for the new centre and for the running of the scheme for three years, but hopes are high that it will extend to at least 10 years.
Cllr Cliff Morris, Bolton Council cabinet member for Social Services, described Sure Start as "a completely new way of providing vital services for families and very young children."
He said: "Local people have been involved from the start saying what kind of facilities and help they would like to see provided and how they can be targeted at the right people."
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