Families across England are set to benefit from a major expansion of local support services this week, as more than 200 new Best Start Family Hubs open their doors nationwide.
The rollout, announced by the Department for Education and the Department of Health and Social Care, is aimed at helping parents manage the rising cost of living while improving access to early years support.
The hubs bring together a range of services under one roof, including infant feeding advice, parenting guidance and support for children with special educational needs and disabilities.
Ministers say the new hubs could save families hundreds of pounds each year. Free stay and play sessions alone are expected to save parents up to £200 annually, while additional advice on debt and welfare could further improve household finances.
The programme forms part of a broader government strategy to simplify family support, including the release of new evidence based guidance on children’s screen time. Officials say the aim is to make services easier to access and reduce the need for parents to seek costly private alternatives.
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said:
“Children growing up in our country deserve the best start in life, but for too long, too many families have been navigating the pressures of parenthood without the support they need.
Best Start Family Hubs will revitalise family services – bringing together health, parenting support and practical advice in one place, free and close to home, so that parents can get the help they need, when they need it.
I’ve seen the difference Sure Start made in my community, and why it’s so important that we bring that support back today, reimagined for a new generation of families.
Whether it’s advice on child development, help with additional needs, or simply a friendly face in the community, this government is putting the support so many families used to rely on, back into each and every community.”
The first wave of openings covers areas that previously lacked funding, with a longer term commitment to establish up to 1,000 hubs across all local authorities in England by the end of 2028. Around 800 hubs are expected to be operational by the end of April.
In addition, the government has pledged to create up to 2,000 satellite locations in community settings such as libraries, leisure centres, health centres and churches. These are intended to bring services closer to where families already spend time.
The initiative is backed by £900 million in funding over three years. This includes £500 million for the hubs themselves, £200 million for Healthy Babies services, and a further £200 million to fund specialist practitioners supporting children with additional needs.
Each hub will include outreach workers to connect with families who may otherwise miss out on support, as well as trained staff to identify issues early and guide parents to appropriate services.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting said:
“I want babies born this year to grow up as the healthiest generation than any before it – and that means building good habits early.
We know that the earliest years of a child’s life shape everything that follows. But for too long, families have had to navigate a maze of services at the very moment they need simple, straightforward help.
We’re making it easier for families to get the right support in one place – from pregnancy onwards.
That means spotting problems earlier, stepping in sooner, and moving care closer to the communities that need it most.”
Alongside health services such as midwifery and health visiting, the hubs are expected to support school readiness and early development. Some sites may also host school based nurseries, combining childcare with health and family services in a single location.
The government says the expansion builds on the legacy of Sure Start, while adapting services for modern needs through a mix of in person and digital support.
Charities and sector leaders have broadly welcomed the plans, while stressing the importance of strong local partnerships.
Brigitte Gater, Managing Director of Children’s Services at Action for Children, said:
“Best Start Family hubs are at their best when they bring together trusted local partners to reach families in ways that work for them.
As a national charity delivering local family hub services across England, Action for Children has seen how collaboration between local authorities, community groups and specialist providers helps services adapt quickly to what families need, whether that’s trialling new approaches, reaching families who might otherwise be missed, or joining up support around the whole family.
That shared commitment to learning and adapting is what enables services to deliver the best outcomes for children and families.”
Neil Leitch, CEO of the Early Years Alliance, added:
“We welcome the announcement of the Best Start in Life Family Hubs opening this week. They have the potential to make a real difference for families, particularly those in disadvantaged areas, as long as they are fully joined up with local early years provision to deliver meaningful, long-term support.
This is a positive step, and we stand ready to work with ministers to help ensure that the rollout of Best Start family hubs – and the wider Best Start in Life strategy – delivers the high-quality care, education and support that families both need and deserve.”
Jodie Reed, co-CEO of Home-Start UK, said:
“By working hand-in-hand with children’s centres and family hubs the national network of Home-Start charities has shown how partnership with community-based charities and voluntary organisations increases reach to families in greatest need.
The strong and trusting relationships our trained community volunteers build with families over months of home-visiting gives parents the confidence and encouragement they need to access the services they need. Services for the community, delivered by the community like this build connection and maximise impact for children.”
Jane van Zyl, CEO at Working Families, said:
“We welcome the Government plans to launch 200 new Best Start Family Hubs across every local authority in England by 2028.
These hubs aim to bring together services that support families. Too many families are currently cut off from early years support, particularly in lower-income areas. This initiative could be a step toward changing that, and local implementation will be key.
At Working Families, we know how much families benefit when the right help is easily accessible, early on, and we’ll be watching closely to see how this promise translates into real change for parents and carers”
Sarah Ronan, Executive Director of the Early Education and Childcare Coalition, said:
“These plans make clear that working in partnership across the system is how we wrap support around families at the earliest opportunity. Meeting families where they are, removing barriers to accessing support and actively shaping the system with families is key – we welcome the crystal clear focus on these principles throughout the guidance.
We all have a role to play in making sure that every child, in every community gets the best start in life and we are particularly pleased to see Government recognise the importance of early education and childcare in achieving that.
Having the support of Best Start Family Hub staff in navigating childcare entitlements will help ensure that parents find a setting that suits their child’s needs and, crucially, that they get the education and care that supports them to thrive.”
The government says the hubs will play a key role in wider cost of living support for families, alongside measures such as funded childcare, free breakfast clubs, expanded free school meals and holiday activity programmes.
As the first sites open, attention will now turn to how effectively the network can be delivered nationwide, and whether it can reach the families who need support most.
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