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<p>Since January 2016, real-time data on children’s centres and sites has been supplied
by local authorities via the Department’s EduBase portal at:</p><p><a href="http://www.education.gov.uk/edubase/search.xhtml?clear=true"
target="_blank">http://www.education.gov.uk/edubase/search.xhtml?clear=true</a>.</p><p>Based
on information supplied by local authorities, there were 3,315[1] children’s centres
and sites at the beginning of the 2016 calendar year; and 66[2] children’s centres
closed in 2016.</p><p>Councils are merging centres to allow services to be delivered
more efficiently. Where they decide to close a children’s centre, councils must demonstrate
that children and families, particularly the most disadvantaged, will not be adversely
affected and that they will not compromise their duty to have sufficient children’s
centres to meet local need.</p><p> </p><p>[1] The number of children’s centres and
sites at the beginning of 2016 is based on information supplied by local authorities,
as at 31 March 2017 at 10:25 am. This figure could change if local authorities report
additional closures that took place prior to 2016.</p><p>[2] The number of children’s
centres that closed in 2016 is based on information supplied to Edubase, as at 31
March 2017 at 10:25 am. This figure could change if local authorities report additional
closures that took place in 2016.</p>
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