MY children hold in need places at Handsworth Avenue Children's Day Centre because of problems within the family.

Two days after the initial announcement that the centre was to close, I was informed that my children were no longer considered in need and would not be relocated to an alternative centre. This caused considerable anxiety and upset to my husband and myself.

On the basis of this decision, I placed my children into a pre-school centre for two afternoons per week and they settled well.

On November 8, with only three weeks to go to the closure, I walked into Handsworth to be told that my children had been allocated a place at Titley Close the following week.

My children have been really unsettled by this, exacerbated by the lack of notice. Also, Titley Closes future is still very much in the balance with a possible closure next April if no alternative proposal can be agreed for its continuation.

I believe that in need children need extra time to adjust and settle into new situations.

The past six weeks has caused a great deal of stress, uncertainty and bad feeling which has affected the whole family.

SHEILA HANCOCK, Norbury Road, Chingford.