Barnet (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Barnet MPs have hailed government funding for new family hubs aimed at supporting local children, parents, and community wellbeing.
In order to remind voters of Sure Start, a well-liked program from the previous Labour government, education secretary Bridget Phillipson announced plans to establish a nationwide network of 1,000 Best Start Family Hubs. A total of £183,052 has been set aside for Barnet facilities.
The new centers will serve as a one-stop shop for parents looking for a variety of support, such as assistance with breastfeeding difficulties, housing concerns, or the early language and development of their children.
The objective is to effectively connect families to specialized local services and reassure them that they have easy access to support in their community.
Explaining the thinking behind the policy, 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.”
In a collective statement welcoming the news, MPs Catherine West (Hornsey and Friern Barnet), Dan Tomlinson (Chipping Barnet), David Pinto-Duschinsky (Hendon), and Sarah Sackman (Finchley and Golders Green) said:
“Every child in Barnet deserves the best start in life. This funding from the Government will mean that parents can access a one-stop shop with a range of support.
We regularly meet with young parents struggling to navigate early years services – often having to travel miles to get the help they need. For them, this £183,052 investment to open a local Best Start family hub will be transformative. Access to essential services right here in Barnet.
This is the difference that Labour MPs working with a Labour-run council and a Labour government can make for children and families in our area.
Alongside free breakfast clubs in Ashmole Primary, Claremont Primary School, and Tudor Primary School, and last month’s roll out of government-funded childcare, this announcement shows that we are delivering on our Plan for Change.”
How will the new funding impact family support services in Barnet?
The funding will allow the creation of family hubs providing alongside each other coordinated early help, parenting support, health visiting, and childcare information in a way that improves ease of access.
The family hubs intend to provide evidence-based parenting programs and home learning support in order to enhance child development milestones and reduce inequities in exit outcomes in the early years.
Funding and resources will be allocated to the neighborhoods with the highest level of need to ensure that vulnerable families can receive preventative and wraparound support to stabilize the home environments. The family hubs will facilitate collaboration across Barnet Council, health services, schools, voluntary groups, and community organizations, to tailor services effectively and address gaps in service provision.