A NURSERY, chiropody service and help for children with special needs are just some of the facilities available to local people at the Halliwell Health and Child Development Centre.

The centre, set up with funding from Bolton City Challenge, is booming after 18 months in business.

Dr Pat Scampion, who oversees the day to day running of the centre as well as heading the Child Development Team, said it was a much-needed facility for residents of Halliwell and Bolton.

The centre offers an integrated nursery where local children and children with special needs learn together.

"We've only had one academic year so far but we've already had some very positive responses from parents who feel their children have benefited," said Dr Scampion.

"It shows the money Bolton City Challenge has invested here has reaped some good rewards and already the whole exercise has been a great success."

City Challenge provided £150,000 to refurbish and equip the building, which used to be a GP's surgery.

Now it provides a wealth of facilities, including paediatric clinics, a school dental service for local children, a leg ulcer clinic, an orthopaedic clinic and a nurse treatment room.

There is a meeting room available for use by community and parents groups.

It is used once a week by an outreach group from the children's opportunity group, while a pre-school support team provides concentrated help for children with learning difficulties to give them the best start in life.

Working alongside them is the Child Development Team, which meets to help pre-school children from across Bolton with a wide variety of special needs, such as learning difficulties, language problems and physical disability.

Each child is assessed by a team of specialists who work closely with parents. Between 50 and 100 children enter the system every year, referred by hospitals, GPs or specialists such as speech therapists.

Dr Scampion said: "The place has a wonderful atmosphere and it has been a great opportunity to unite all the facilities under one roof."

For more information on the centre or booking the meeting room, call 01204-361818.

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