Today, the Labour government has announced grants provided to local authorities to ensure every community has a Best Start Family Hub, ensuring early years support for parents across the region.
MPs across the North West are celebrating the success of their local campaigns to bring family and community services back to the region.
A total of £1.2m has been given to seven Local Authorities in the North West to set up the Hubs in some of the regions most deprived areas.
Labour’s Best Start Family Hubs will act as a one stop shop for parents seeking a range of support, including on difficulty breastfeeding, housing issues or children’s early development and language, reassuring families that they have convenient access to support in their local area or can be efficiently connected to specialist local services.
North West Funding Awarded:
- Bury – £137,208
- Cheshire West and Chester – £163, 352
- Trafford – £148, 149
- Sefton – £146,903
- Warrington – £137, 042
- Wigan – £162,782
- Lancashire – £347,048
Key Reactions To Early Years Support News
James Frith, Labour MP for Bury North, said: “I’m so pleased this vital investment in family services will be coming to Bury, helping to give our children the best start in life.
“We know that too many families are struggling – over a third of all children in Bury North are growing up in poverty. It is my mission, and the mission of this Labour government to change that, so it is good news that this vital new service will be in Chesham Fold, right as the heart of where it is needed most – something I’ve pushed for since being elected last year.
“This £137,000 investment to open a local Best Start family hub will be transformative – alongside free breakfast clubs and government-funded childcare, we are delivering on our Plan for Change.”
MP for Altrincham and Sale West, Connor Rand added: “I’m delighted that this government is bringing back vital family services to the North West.
“To secure £148,000 for Trafford is going to make a remarkable difference to the lives of children and families who need it most.
“This is the difference a Labour MP working with a Labour government alongside a Labour council can do for children and families in our area.”
Education Secretary, Bridget Phillipson said:
“It’s the driving mission of this government to break the link between a child’s background and what they go on to achieve – our new Best Start Family Hubs will put the first building blocks of better life chances in place for more children.
“I saw firsthand how initiatives like Sure Start helped level the playing field, transforming the lives of children by putting in place family support in the earliest years of life, and as part of our Plan for Change, we’re building on its legacy for the next generation of children.
“Making sure hard-working parents are able to benefit from more early help is a promise made, and promise kept – delivering a lifeline of consistent support across the nation, ensuring health, social care and education work in unison to ensure all children get the best start in life.”
North West new Best Start Family Hubs will compliment work the Labour government already has underway to make family life easier and alleviate the burden on parents, including by expanding government-funded childcare to 30-hours, increasing the reach of school-based nurseries, and rolling out free breakfast clubs in every primary school to support working parents.
September also saw the launch of the Labour government’s digital service, www.beststartinlife.gov.uk, a new national digital hub linked NHS services to offer trusted advice and connect to support.
