Sure Start Euston – qualitative needs assessment

(and results)

For further details contact Dr. Valerie Wigfall, 020 7612 6815,

Responses to open-ended question: Is there something you would like to change about the services you use or that Camden provides, to make them meet your children's or your own needs better?

1Advice and information, particularly in own language:

  • Not yet sure about available services
  • Home visits for mothers with new born babies to tell them about services in the area
  • More publicity about the services in the area
  • Leaflet in own language
  • I don't know about the services for under fours; it would be useful if it was translated in my own language
  • To know more about the services in the area; sign posting, bulletin boards in each block
  • Any information regarding the under fours, please translate into Bengali so that I can understand
  • I am new in this area, I want to go to English class, could you please send me some information about the English class; Information about the nursery and drop-in in this area in my own language

2More places for:

Younger children

  • More provision for under fours
  • More drop-ins for the under fours
  • My child is too young. When she starts nursery then I want to learn English
  • There is a need for nurseries for two year olds. The sooner the better-even those under the age of two so that parents can go for training or education and could work
  • The elder child should be in school but is on the waiting list. Has been on the list for few months and the mother is impatient to get him in school, he needs to be; a very hyperactive child
  • Doesn't know about any of the services

For older children:

  • Something safe and secure for the older children; no facilities

Children with special needs

  • More services for children with special needs (has an older son with learning difficulties
  • She needs more facilities for special needs children; -In holiday times she can't give enough attention to children

Children from particular minority groups

  • I would like to see more opportunity for the children to meet with Arabic speaking/Muslim families; to celebrate Eid, etc.
  • Because of large number of Muslims there should be more opportunities for children to learn Arabic and more learning involving Islamic studies
  • There is not enough 'Islamic' studies in the area; more focus on the Muslim culture
  • Because I am from Muslim background, I would be happy to see more facilities for Muslim children and families; especially geared towards education
  • There is a severe lack of Muslim schooling in the country
  • There is only one government funded school in London
  • Drop-in/crèche for Muslim families
  • Drop in feels intimidating for Muslim women; sense of 'cliquieness'
  • Surma centre is closed now. Is it possible to open something like Surma nursery. We feel comfortable to communicate if the worker is speaking the same foreign language I speak
  • More Bengali workers in the nursery/crèche, Surma nursery is closed for something and there is no more Bengali nursery in this area

More of the same services:

  • More drop-in
  • I find I cannot make drop in because full up by 10am- -No other choice but to stay at home
  • More drop-ins in Regent's Park estate; there is an empty space near her house, probably you can use this space
  • More drop-in centres; More crèche; Training courses (Saturday)
  • More crèche in Regent's Park area; more drop-ins
  • More drop-in; more crèche

Different types of provision:

Outside areas

  • Nice outdoor area for summer months
  • A park close by
  • Each building should have it's own playground, what is provided is too little
  • There is a need for a garden around the buildings, a play area for children
  • I wish there was a bigger drop in for my child; more play spaces
  • Outdoor play areas
  • A playground on the estate could be very good for the children; There's a small garden in front of my building and that is a good place for playground; There are lots of children in the building
  • I think children should be able to access all green areas to play outside flats. I do not think children who have the facility within their flats should have to cross roads to play when adequate space is provided within their communal homes

More places where you can leave children

  • Crèche to leave child
  • Purpose built family centre with crèche/drop-in centre and parent groups
  • I really would like to have an opportunity to study but there is no crèche for my children. I am isolated. I went to a college behind Sainsbury's twice but I didn't register. A lady from 'Sure Start' took me there. I put my eldest on the waiting list. I went to register but there was a problem with the time change, so I left
  • More day nursery in this area so that we can go for part-time jobs/training
  • Need more nurseries

Other

  • I feel isolated because I have no friends or neighbours in building, there's nowhere to meet other families in the block
  • Day trips
  • More opportunity to volunteer and to train; childcare is provided like crèche; I used to be a volunteer at 'Christ Church' for toy library but I left because I was pregnant; No other volunteers stayed- toy library closed down; I was offered to bring the baby but I wasn't up to caring for him while doing the work
  • If you have any English classes near my home, I might join the class; because of my relatives I cannot do any class
  • More services for lone parents
  • Day-trips and outings
  • Singing and dancing drop-ins
  • She stays at home mostly; she would like to learn if there is a crèche; she really needs to learn English after living here for 4 years

3Cheaper provision

  • There is a great need for affordable day-time nurseries for under fours in the area
  • Good day nursery, reasonable cost
  • Also there is a need for affordable daytime nurseries
  • The mother would like to have a childminder for the babies, provided that they are affordable; also affordable daytime nurseries
  • Low cost or free nursery; Private nursery is very expensive

4Better opening times

  • More full-time nursery places and longer hours
  • Would like more to be open in the afternoons
  • Drop-ins open more in the afternoon, more organised activities: more stories, more group games
  • Some drop-in centres on the weekends also
  • I want an afternoon drop-in where I live
  • More playgroups in afternoons
  • Afternoon provision
  • To open play centre for long time and also need more space
  • They sometimes get to play
  • More playgrounds
  • More drop-ins in this area

5Improvement in services:– safer, absence of racial harassment and cleaner and better quality:

  • Clean and tidy outside area
  • Outside play- Toys are few, children fight over one toy
  • Dogs littering there
  • More attention regarding cleaning
  • Smoking smell inside the building; this is not good for the children
  • Drop-ins open more in the afternoon, more organised activities: more stories, more group games
  • Purpose built, well kept, well run drop-in; existing drop-ins improved upon
  • Better supervision of children in the playgroup/nursery drop in centres

6Other matters that impinge on life with small children e.g. housing or medical services

  • Flat is too small for them
  • She dislikes her flat; there are drunk people and her children suffer from asthma. Nobody wants to know her problems
  • Her kitchen is too small
  • Lift is very dirty and smelly; Problem in flat- kitchen is joined with the sitting room
  • They need to change their flat; They want to go in Westminster Council
  • Her flat is very small for her family; there is no space for the children
  • I don't have use of lift. It's out of order- so I cannot go out
  • Saturday GP service
  • Saturday GP services for children
  • Saturday GP for children

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