Oh, and I thought this deserved a post all of it's own. The report states that people want to access services in their own homes, and that people want to "participate in Rhyme Time in their homes and nurseries."
Thud.
Rhyme Time is great. I've been to loads of them with my children over the years. It is a chance for parents, caters and children to learn new songs, sing them, have a chat with others and get out of the house. It is the kind of service that becomes a lifeline for parents and caters of young children, not to mention the added bonus of getting young children into the library habit at a young age.
WCC don't specify how they will deliver this in homes but if they are thinking that this is the sort of thing that could be done effectively through the Internet they are wrong. Children don't need more screen time, they need less. My optician is always going on about the rising numbers of children with eye problems, which he blames on TV and computers. No. We should be doing all we can to encourage parents and carers of young children get out of the house and into libraries and childrens centres.
Once again, families and young children are the victims of the Tory cuts.
