A NEW group has formed with hopes of continuing some of the services provided by Witney’s children’s centre – ensuring families in the community are given the support they need.

Action for Children’s contract to run the town's children’s centre finishes this month, putting an end to its many sessions supporting young people in the area.

The new group – involving representatives from the town’s churches, council and youth charity Base 33 – is working on acquiring county council funding to retain the most vital sessions offered by the centre.

Oxfordshire county and Witney town councillor Laura Price said that while alternatives to children's centres exist, their wide-ranging open access model ensured that those most in need of support were reached.

She said: "With the children's centre closing, Witney will be left without those broad ranging open access sessions – a lot of those things that people could just turn up to regardless of whether they considered themselves someone in need.

"People were able to go to a safe, secure environment with well-trained staff.

"I think those kind of sessions for families are really important. They can ensure that people don’t feel isolated or left behind. "Even though there are playgroups and other options, without the children's centre there won't really be something there that gives people that opportunity.

"It’s got to be something that makes sure people aren’t falling through the cracks in terms of that provision."

The group formed to continue the children's centre provision and applied for funding through Oxfordshire County Council's transition fund in January.

The money would be used to employ a coordinator to oversee all care for people aged between zero and 19.

The person filling the role would work in a central location and continue to operate with the churches, council and Base 33 in a joined-up approach to provision of care.

Wendy Dawson is the chief executive officer of Base 33, a charity that all ready works with young people aged between 13 and 24.

She said: “What we’re looking for is somebody to coordinate the services. The role would link all those services together for people aged from zero to 19.

“It’s about making it more cost-effective and more supportive to those people seeking services, or a lot of them just won’t know."

The application submitted to the county council required some work and was returned to the group.

"They were asked to make their plan more financially sustainable, demonstrate a stronger case for need, work closer with the community and seek alternative sources of funding.

A survey was set up to engage with the community, focussing specifically on care aimed at zero to five year olds.

People in the area willing to support the group by volunteering or helping out with the second application for funding are also sought.

Find the survey at surveymonkey.co.uk/r/FS76FZ9