Hucknall MP delighted as new Best Start Family Hub set to open in town as part of family support revolution
Families in Hucknall will soon be able to save money on services including free stay and play sessions for babies and young children.
A campaign led by Hucknall MP Michele Welsh (Lab) has secured the return of Sure Start-style services to the town with a Best Start Family Hub to open and help local families with the cost of living.
Hucknall’s parents will be able to access help with infant feeding, parenting advice and early support for children with SEND, in one place, reducing the need to pay for private classes or specialist support.
Part of Labour’s election manifesto was a pledge to transform life chances by improving children’s start in life – leading to Ms Welsh calling on the Government to ‘rebuild’ Sure Start style services in Hucknall after they were removed by cuts under the previous Conservative adminstration.
Ms Welsh said: “That left thousands of parents cut off from vital community support networks and specialist services – left to navigate the challenges of parenthood alone – as well as a devastating impact on children’s life chances, with early development, wellbeing and future attainment all in jeopardy.”
Hucknall is now one of more than 200 new Best Start Family Hubs now opening to families across the UK and the Government intends to have 1,000 hubs open across all local authorities by 2028.
The Government is also making a new commitment to deliver up to 2,000 satellite locations by 2028 – based in health centres, leisure centres, libraries and churches – so families experience seamless support in the places they already go.
Ms Welsh continued: “I’m so pleased that my campaign to bring back family services to Hucknall has been a success, helping to give local children the best start in life.
“This is the difference a Labour MP working with a Labour Government can do for children and families in our area.
“This Best Start Family Hub will be transformative – alongside free breakfast clubs and Government-funded childcare, we are showing this government is on the side of families in Hucknall.”
The new Best Start Family Hubs are backed by £900m of investment over the next three years – including half a billion to deliver hubs nationwide, £200m for the Healthy Babies services and a further £200m to fund SEND practitioners in every hub.