Eastleigh's only SEND nursery Aviary Nursery could close

The planned closure of The Aviary Nursery would mean that children would need to travel as far as Gosport and Winchester to get the same services.

A letter sent to parents by the county council's director of children services Stuart Ashley cited "ongoing significant financial challenges" as a major problem, noting that "demand and costs" continue to rise around other "essential services".

Aviary Nursery on Blackbird Road (Image: Google Maps)

The letter goes on to say that the number of children in Aviary Nursery, in Blackbird Road, has been "steadily falling", with more families "opting to place their children in newer childcare settings".

Mr Ashley says that projected data shows "no long-term need for provision" in Eastleigh, meaning the service cannot be run "sustainably" in future.

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Aviary Nursery would close at the end of the current academic year and is one of five nurseries with "specially resourced provisions" in the county, according to documents published by the county council last academic year.

This means that the nursery caters for children with a specific category of special 
educational needs (SEN), such as physical disabilities or hearing impairments.

The next closest nursery with specially resourced provisions is a 10-mile drive away at Lanterns Nursery in Winchester.

Resident Clare Norcott is launching a campaign to save the nursery, as she continues to try to get her non-verbal granddaughter Lily the catered education she needs.

Clare Norcott and her granddaughter Lily. (Image: Clare Norcott) "I’ve seen my granddaughter have massive meltdowns," she said.

"It’s not fair seeing her that anxious and distraught at this age. She can’t go to Winchester, and all the children in Winchester will go to that one so there won’t be any spaces.

"Hampshire County Council have a habit of taking things away from vulnerable people who can’t fight back."

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Eastleigh MP Liz Jarvis said she is "very alarmed" by the attempt to "withdraw SEND provision from Eastleigh" in a letter penned to the council.

Liz Jarvis MP has written a letter to Hampshire County Council to express her concern at the nursery's closure. (Image: Supplied) Ms Jarvis said: "The barriers SEND parents face to access even the most basic of services for their children are huge.

"It is insulting to pretend that this closure would not be incredibly detrimental to the parents and children it supports.

“Of all services to attempt to cut, a provision of vital support for vulnerable children who cannot access a mainstream nursery environment should be the last place to look.”

Hampshire County Council has been contacted for comment.