The county council said that a mobile special needs support service will serve Eastleigh as a result of the closure of a nursery.

Plans to close The Aviary Nursery on Blackbird Road, Eastleigh, were revealed to parents on March 10, when Hampshire County Council sent a letter informing them of the decision.

The decision faced criticism from Eastleigh’s MP, Liz Jarvis, who expressed concerns about the lack of transparency surrounding it.

The nursery provides services for children with special educational needs, babies from six months. However, under the plans, it is set to be closed by the county council in August 2025.

In light of parents’ concerns due to the plan, Hampshire County Council said that while recognised community concerts about the closure in August, they “reassure” the support for children with SEN in Eastleigh will continue, “albeit delivered in a different way”.

A spokesperson for Hampshire County Council said: “The Static Early Years SEN Hub for children with special educational needs is a separate service located in the nursery building, sharing facilities with the nursery, providing specialist support for a small group of children travelling from across the district and surrounding areas.

“With the nursery closing, we have taken the decision to change the way support is provided for children with SEN from September. It is important to note that the 12 children currently supported in this SEN setting will start school in September and will therefore not be impacted by the changes to how support is provided.”

The county council added that starting in September, children with SEN will benefit from a mobile SEN support service called a Peripatetic Early Years SEN Hub that will assist up to 20 children, which is “significantly more than were able to be supported by the Static Early Years SEN Hub.”

According to the council, with this service, specialist staff travel to see individual children in the setting their parents or carers have chosen for them.

“This type of support mirrors the way services are provided in other parts of the county, enabling staff to support more children who require specialist help.

“We are very mindful of the importance of children of all ages with special educational needs, receiving the right support at the right time – and will continue to do all we can to ensure this remains the case for children in the Eastleigh area.”