COUNCILLORS in Darlington last night approved plans to create a network of children's centres in the town's most deprived areas.

The centres will offer almost 200 childcare places, serving families in the Central, Northgate, Bank Top, Lascelles, Park East, Cockerton West and Eastbourne wards, and on the Red Hall estate.

They will provide a base for childminders and offer after-school, breakfast and holiday clubs for youngsters.

The centres, funded by the Government's national Sure Start unit, will seek to give children aged up to five a good start in education, as well as offering parents support and some health services, including ante-natal care.

Parents with children aged up to 14, or 16 if the youngsters have special needs, will also benefit from the initiative.

Darlington Borough Council has been given a deadline by the Government to ensure all children aged up to five in the disadvantaged areas can benefit from the centres.

Geoff Pennington, the council's education director, said: "Darlington must ensure that by March 2006 children's centres will develop, in consultation with the local community, to act as a service hub for parents and childcare providers. The centres will bring together locally available services, but will not necessarily be developed on one site.

"Sure Start has estimated that we need to create an additional 100 early education and childcare places to enable this to happen."

Members approved the idea at last night's council cabinet meeting.

Councillor Stephen Harker, the authority's cabinet member for education, said: "It is a wonderful opportunity to develop these childcare centres, which will provide communities with first class early years education and support for parents. There will also be support for families with special needs in disadvantaged areas."

The centre for Cockerton West, at Mount Pleasant, will offer 40 daycare places. For Eastbourne and Firthmoor the Firthmoor Neighbourhood Nursery will become a 52-place children's centre. Park Side Neighbourhood Nursery will become a 52-place centre, serving Park East. The Northgate ward will be served by a 41-place centre in North Road.