FAMILY hubs will return to Warwickshire following the announcement of new government grants.
The government has allocated £216,158 to the county to begin detailed planning on ensuring every community has a Best Start Family Hub.
It will help Warwickshire to rebuild Sure Start-style services in the county after funding was cut under the previous government, leaving thousands of parents cut off from community support networks and specialist services.
The new Best Start Family Hubs are to be rolled out across the country by April 2026 to provide wide-ranging help for families, such as parenting and early development.
They will aim to 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.
Rugby MP John Slinger said: “This investment, preparing for the opening of a local Best Start family hub, will be transformative.
“As a new dad I used the sure start centre in Rugby. I saw with my own eyes the support they gave to parents from all backgrounds to help them at an exciting – but sometimes difficult – time in life.”
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said it was a mission of the government to ‘break the link between a child’s background and what they go on to achieve’
She added: “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. 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.”
Warwickshire’s new Best Start Family Hub will complement existing efforts to expand government-funded childcare to 30-hours, increase the reach of school-based nurseries, and roll out free breakfast clubs in every primary school to support working parents.
