THERE are plans to develop services in the Wellington area for the very youngest members of the community and their parents.

Deputy Mayor Cllr Catherine Govier-Wiggins is part of the cradle-to-career team being developed in Wellington which will support children through to adulthood.

The scheme is being spearheaded by Polly Matthews, headteacher of Court Fields School, and has gained lots of support from various agencies.

The initiative has been used by schools in other parts of the country and its core approach involves providing support from birth to early adulthood along with activities which target different aspects of young people’s lives.

These activities could include antenatal classes and social groups for parents, youth organisations, mentoring and career advice.

The cradle-to-career ethos goes beyond a school’s typical role and helps to join up local services to improve prospects for young people and the community.

Cllr Govier-Wiggins, chairman of Wellington Town Council’s community committee, told councillors at their meeting on February 17 that things were looking very positive.

Councillors heard that the scheme looked to strengthen community cohesion, improved working with primary schools and building enhanced relationships between schools and parents.

“There are a lack of services for parents with children aged nought to two-year-olds in Wellington,” said Cllr Govier-Wiggins.

It is hoped that community facilities being created at the former Kings Arms pub in the town centre will act as a hub for a lot of new services.

“The Kings Arms will be key to this work,” added Cllr Govier-Wiggins.

Cllr Andy Govier said: “We lost the Wellington Children’s Centre a number of years ago and that used to give great support to parents.

Court Fields School, Wellington head Polly Matthews, who has overseen a turnaround in its standards.
Court Fields School, Wellington head Polly Matthews, who has overseen a turnaround in its standards. (Court Fields)

“So we now need to look at replicating this by, perhaps, having a ‘virtual’ children’s centre until the Kings Arms is up and running.”

Cllr Govier said he had also made links with Home-Start West Somerset which offers support, friendship and practical help to families at home with children aged under-five in the Minehead and Watchet and surrounding areas.

Cllr Govier-Wiggins said that during her recent discussions about cradle-to-career it was revealed that parent evenings at Court Fields School had in recent times only seen a 50 per cent take-up.

“Parent evenings are really important for the children so 50 per cent is not great,” she said.

But she added: “Court Fields has now made childcare available at school for younger children during Parents Evenings and it was said that an extra 20 more parents than normal attended which is encouraging.”

Wellington Children’s Centre – which was based next to Beech Grove Primary School – was closed down by the former Somerset County Council a number of years ago despite hundreds of people signing a petition urging the authorities to keep it open.

Cllr Andy Govier, speaking in 2017 when a campaign was launched to try and save the children’s centre from closure, said: “The centre has been a real asset to the town over the last few years and has supported hundreds of children and their families during that time.”