Millmead family hub set to close

Kent County Council withdraw funding for Margate family hub which has provided locals with help for several years.  Finn Macdiarmid reports

Transcript

00:00Since last year, families using Millmead and Seashell's family hubs had the fact hanging

00:05over their heads that the service might not be open by this March.

00:08Family hubs offer information and support to parents and families, including early learning,

00:13health services, childcare and more.

00:15Kent County Council's decision to axe the funding for the family hub here in Millmead

00:19has certainly been a controversial one.

00:21Residents say that although it might be saving the council money, the real cost will come

00:25out of the livelihoods of the people who need the service most.

00:29Councils like Owen, who has autism, worries that he and his family won't be able to get

00:33the same support elsewhere.

00:35I kind of wonder really what would have happened to us, what could have happened to Harvey

00:44if we didn't have their support because they've taught us so much.

00:50They've invited us to classes, they've invited my partner to an autism awareness class which

00:57helped further our communication in the relationship we have and second to that, it's just been

01:07outstanding the support we've had, it's been outstanding.

01:10Many years ago I did have a mental breakdown, I got very ill and the centre was nothing

01:16but supportive, they actually helped me a lot and I'm very thankful for it and it'd

01:21be a shame if it goes.

01:24The MP for East Thanet, Polly Billington, also weighed in on the issue.

01:27These are some of the poorest families in the south east and they at the moment are

01:33within as we call it pram or push chair push, right, of being able to get their kids to

01:38really good supportive services, things which helps the mums when they're pregnant, helps

01:43them get used to things like breastfeeding.

01:46It's clear that Kent's political priority is not to support deprived families in deprived

01:50communities such as the ones that rely on seashells in Sheppey and Millmead in Margate

01:56and that is inexcusable.

01:59In a statement, Sue Chandler, Cabinet Member for Integrated Children's Services for Kent

02:03County Council said we understand that this decision is disappointing for some young people

02:07and youth services but Kent County Council is committed to continuing to run its youth

02:11provision through a mix of activity at family hub buildings and outreach locations based

02:16on the needs of young people within each district.

02:18Final March locals will be waiting to see if the vital service will get the funding

02:22it needs to survive.

02:23Finn McDermid for KMTV in Thanet.