Stage 1

In the first instance a full business health check was undertaken on all identified Children’s Centres, including:

• an analysis of the issues effecting sustainability e.g. funding streams, occupancy levels, fee structures, opening hours and commissioning;
• issues impacting on governance/management e.g. governance, business practices, marketing and legislation; and 
• issues impacting on user groups e.g. flexibility of offer to parents, opportunities for commissioning external organisations and use of centre’s ‘community’ spaces.

Stage 2

A financial workshop developed based on the gaps in skills and areas of support that were highlighted as a result of the business health checks. The workshop covered areas such as business planning for sustainability, budgetary management and risk analysis, fundraising strategies, reducing staff costs, setting and collecting fees/charges, maximising occupancy and commissioning.

Stage 3

To support the long term sustainability of the childcare provision a third and final stage of this project involved one-to-one support to develop working business plans. Each of these plans will be developed with the Children’s Centre managers and key staff to ensure ownership of the document, its progress and implementation.