A NEW baby unit in Nelson which will allow parents to leave their children while they go back to studying has been officially launched as part of Lancashire's first early excellence centre.

The Bumble Baby Unit is the latest addition to the Walton Lane centre -- formerly Walton Lane Nursery School.

The nursery was selected by the government to become one of 91 early excellence centres throughout the country providing a one-stop shop for children and parents in Pendle.

Plans involve creating a purpose-built building on the site which will enable parents to place their child into nursery care while they get health advice, IT training, socialise in the cafe, or get career advice.

Staff from the nursery school now work with Sure Start and other agencies such as the health authority, family support groups and adult learning.

Funding was made available through the county council and Department for Education and Skills through the early excellence programme and the neighbourhood nurseries initiative.

Headteacher Audrey Wilson said: "The baby unit is part of the government's Neighbourhood Nursery Initiative (NNI). It is a small part of what will be built. We have started with six babies but in the long term we will cater for 24 under twos.

"It's been quite exciting. We thought that if we were going to provide facilities for children and their parents why start at three years. It's very often from the moment the child is born that families need support.

"We are also working with pregnant teenagers so that they can continue with their studies."

Plans were approved for a new centre to include a nursery, a single-storey detached early excellence unit and extensions to the existing pupil referral building. Work on the new building will begin in September and is expected to be completed by April 2004.