Building on support for children in North Somerset

Four new children's centres are to open in North Somerset next year.

North Somerset Council is driving forward with plans to open four more of the centres across the district.

The new centres will be located at The Campus and Castle Batch Community Centre, both in Weston-super-Mare, and at Birdwell School in Long Ashton.

A further centre will be created at St Andrew's CofE Primary School in Congresbury. A satellite centre will also be set up at Winford Primary School for the Yeo Valley area.

The opening of the new facilities will take the number of children's centres across North Somerset to 14.

The work is being partly funded by a grant of £1.5 million from the Department for Schools, Children and Families, with the rest of the cash coming from North Somerset Council coffers.

Children's centres already exist in Weston-super-Mare, Clevedon, Nailsea and Portishead.

The centres will be one-stop shops for children's services and house early learning and childcare teams.

They will be the base for child and family health services, parental outreach and family support services, offer childminder support and act as an information point.