"Local Area Group (LAG) comittee for South Broxtowe Childrens Centres"

I perform some voluteer work for the cluster of South Broxtowe Childrens centres in addition to using the centres sessions as a parent of a two year old. Over the months I have been coming I have come to know many of the faces of the cheery and helpful staff.

During a stay-and-play session parents opinions were canvassed about how the centres were percieved, what went well and not so well, and exchanging ideas on how to improve services for families in the future.

Leading on from the discussions I was asked to join the Local Area Group comittee. This is a committee of parents and professionals working for (or allied to) the centres. At first I was a little nervous as I have never been part of a comittee before, and the formally structured meetings I envisaged were a little daunting.

The first meeting I attended I got an idea of how the group functioned- looking at the targets for the centres, the strategic overview of all the areas of work the centres and the allied professionals perform, and the areas that are being looked at for ideas and improvements. I dont think I spoke very much at this meeting, but I tried to absorb the general gist.

The people I have met through coming to the meetings have all been most helpful in letting me express my opinions and views as well as facilitating the discussion of all the seperate areas of work, and sharing the relevant information. I also feel like I am able to get the best from the centres for my son by knowing about upcoming activities and sessions that I know he enjoys.

I would like to thank the staff involved in the group as I feel they take me seriously, and this has helped me to feel my attendance at the meetings and sessions is valued. I would recommend any parent who would like to be able to have input into how the centres are run to ask about attending the next meeting.