City of York Council has announced the site of its ninth and final children's centre.

The new centre, which is expected to open in January 2010, will be located at Knavesmire Primary School and will serve the Scarcroft Green, South Bank, Bishopthorpe and Copmanthorpe areas of the City. Some of its services will be offered at facilities in and around Scarcroft Primary School.

Eight Sure Start Children's Centres have already been established across York as part of a national programme to provide additional support services for families with young children.

With the completion of the Knavesmire site, the network of nine children's centres will offer a city-wide service to children under five and their families.

The Sure Start Children's Centres programme is based on the concept that providing  high quality, locally based services to families with young children leads to positive effects for children, families and their communities. The centres are at the heart of a national strategy to tackle child poverty and social exclusion, and to help ensure that every child enjoys the best possible start in life.

Centres have already been created on the sites of Hob Moor, Westfield, Carr, Clifton, Haxby Road, New Earswick, Tang Hall and St Lawrence's primary schools with innovative designs approved by  the Department for Children, Schools and Families.

Pete Dwyer, City of York Council's Director of Children and Young People's Services said: " This is another significant milestone in York's children's centre programme. We are looking forward to building on the early achievements of our existing centres and to delivering a city-wide service that will make a real difference to the lives of young children and their families."

The nine children's centres are being established as part of the government's Every Child Matters agenda, which aims to get a range of agencies and practitioners working more closely together when delivering services in local communities.
 
The children's centres offer:

· good quality early learning and full or part-time day care provision
· family support services, including visits to families in their own homes
· support for childminder networks
· child and family health services, including antenatal services
· support for children and parents with special needs
· the Toy Bus
· links with Jobcentre Plus and local training providers
· adult education courses
· information about local services and other sources of help
· links to the Council's Family Information Service (FIS)

People can also use phones at the children's centres to make free calls to a wide range of services, or can speak to specially trained advisors face to face for information and support. Families can also access information online.