Beckhampton Mother and Baby Unit

Nottingham City Council is proposing to close the Beckhampton Mother and Baby unit, a specialist centre providing education and support to school age pregnant young women. It is proposed that students should remain in mainstream schools instead, with extra support provided 'when required', presumably by a peripatetic support system rather than one on site.

The Post has an article today including interviews from pupils and you get a strong impression that such an approach will be inadequate. I have also heard from someone connected to the school that referrals to the unit are being blocked to give the impression that demand is falling.

Graham Allen, MP for Nottingham North, has publicly criticised the move which is almost unheard of when it is the City Council responsible for a proposal. Normally Labour Party solidarity prevents him from sticking his head above the parapet.

There is a petition against the proposals and you might also wish to respond to the public consultation being run by the Council. We are told that no decisions have been made (yeah right) so if enough people respond maybe they'll change their minds. We can live in hope.