Dr Simon Opher MP has welcomed the Labour government’s announcement of a £221,184 investment in Gloucestershire to kick-start the creation of new Best Start Family Hubs — a major initiative designed to give every child the strongest possible start in life.
The Best Start Family Hubs will mark the return of a joined-up, community-based approach to early years support — building on the proven success of the Sure Start Children’s Centres, first introduced by the Labour government in 1998.
Dr Opher said: “Some of us will remember the life-changing impact of Sure Start Children’s Centres when they were introduced under the Labour government in 1998 – and we saw the consequences for tens of thousands of families when the programme was decimated under the last Conservative government.
“Last week’s announcement of £221,184 for Gloucestershire is the first step in creating a new Sure Start programme for the 2020s – to be known as Best Start Family Hubs.
“The first few years of a child’s life are without doubt the most important in terms of putting the building blocks in place for health, education, socialisation and quality of life in later years. I believe the Best Start Family Hubs will be truly transformational.”
The new Family Hubs will act as one-stop shops for parents and carers seeking help with a wide range of needs — from maternal and child health to early language development, housing, debt advice, nutrition, and mental health.
Support workers will be available to offer guidance, connect families with specialist services, and provide reassurance and practical help. The Hubs will also serve as a base for services for children under five and will support new programmes, community outreach, and opportunities for parents to share experiences and support one another.
The Best Start initiative complements the Labour government’s wider commitments to families, including:
- 30 hours a week of government-funded childcare and early years education
- Expansion of school-based nurseries
- Free breakfast clubs in every primary school
Initially, Family Hubs will be established in areas with the greatest socio-economic need, with a long-term goal of expanding access to all communities.
Dr Opher added: “The Family Hubs will complement the government’s wider work to help take pressure off parents and ensure that every child, no matter their background, has the best possible start in life.”
