A STAY at home dad said he would be a “broken man” if he had not had children’s centres to turn to.

Tony Symons retired as a bus driver when he and his wife Donna, a nurse, found out they were expecting twins nearly three years ago.

The 41-year-old, who lives with his family in Mile Oak, Portslade, became a house-husband to look after the newborns when the couple found the costs of childcare too high.

He turned to the north and south Portslade children’s centres which supported him as he cared for Thomas and Daniel, during the daytime. They are now two years old.

This week The Argus called on Brighton and Hove City Council to reconsider shutting children's centres and their related services.

The Save Our Centres campaign is asking the council to reconsider its plans to save nearly £800,000 by shutting four children's centres. Baby groups could be shut down, staff could be laid off and other care, such as health visits, could be reduced.

Mr Symons is backing the campaign and thinks the centres are vital – particularly for parents who need extra guidance.

He said: “Our older children are 21 and 17 so it had been some time since we had cared for young people and I was a little unsure of my parenting skills. I had experienced post traumatic stress disorder and had lost a lot of confidence in my ability.

“All parenting can have its challenges but it can be particularly tough sometimes when you have more than one child at once. Without the fantastic staff at the centres and the support from fellow parents I met there, I would be a complete wreck of a man.”

His confidence grew so much he volunteered as the parent chairman of the Hangleton Park Children’s Centre, where he meets other parents, particularly those with other multiple children.

“It’s great to share stories and advice with each other and particularly for fathers, as there are typically less than mums that attend, this is a real confidence boost.

“My boys are always entertained at the groups and you can see how they love playing with other children and really benefit from these groups.

There are so few places to entertain children in the daytime it would be a great shame for parents if they could no longer visit the centres.”

  • The public meeting, organised by the city’s parents, will now be held in the Hanover Room, in the Brighthelm Centre, Brighton, from 9.30am to 11am.

THE ARGUS CAMPAIGN NEEDS YOU

  • Complete the Brighton and Hove City Council survey by Monday at brighton-hove.gov.uk/cc-consultation.
  • Pledge to back the campaign. Join the Brighton Parents Against Children’s Centre Cuts and Library Group Closures Facebook group, which The Argus supports.
  • Sign the change.org petition ‘Stop the proposed cuts to children’s services’ online.
  • Attend the public meeting, organised by the city’s parents, tomorrow at the Tarner Community Cafe in Ivory Place, Brighton, from 9.30am to 11am.
  • Join parents in a protest on Thursday, February 26, ahead of Brighton and Hove City Council’s budget meeting at 4.30pm, where the future of the children’s centres and related services will be determined. The meeting is at Brighton Town Hall.
  • Call senior reporter Flora Thompson at The Argus to express your views on 01273 544539 or email flora.thompson@ theargus.co.uk.

WHY WE ARE FIGHTING THESE CUTS

COUNCIL officers are looking to hack back the number of children’s centres from 12 to eight in a bid to save £779,000.

If approved, tens of thousands of families would be affected.

The centres at risk are City View in Elm Grove, Cornerstone in Church Road, Hollingbury, Patcham in County Oak Avenue, and West Hove in Portland Road.

Baby groups which meet in libraries could be shut down and the equivalent of 11.5 full-time posts could be axed. Funding for the Early Childhood Project and the Brighton Unemployed Centre voluntary groups could be halved.

The number of health visits could be cut back, attendance could be restricted to time limits and by appointment only. But parents see the centres and their services as a crucial lifeline.

So The Argus is urging the council to seriously rethink the plans and find another alternative. In a series of articles in the coming weeks, we will look into the services provided, how they affect families, and how the cuts could be avoided.