Council-wide implementation of family hubs planned in England: a community-focused approach to child protection and family support services.
The UK government has announced a major initiative, the Best Start Family Hubs expansion plan, aimed at providing comprehensive, integrated support services to families with young children across England. This nationwide effort, worth over £500 million, aims to establish up to 1,000 family hubs by 2028.
These Family Hubs are designed as one-stop shops, offering a broad spectrum of support for families, with a particular focus on early childhood development and family well-being. Core services include health services such as health visiting and infant feeding support, as well as mental health services. Child development support includes early language development and activities for children aged 0-5. Family support services encompass parenting support, debt and welfare advice, and housing support.
Specialist support is also available, including domestic abuse services, substance misuse support, and support for children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). The programme integrates existing initiatives such as Start for Life, enhancing support during the critical first 1,001 days of life, with a focus on seamless service provision through local commissioning partnerships with schools, nurseries, and health services.
The government plans to roll out these hubs in every local authority by April 2026, supporting an additional 500,000 children and their families. The expansion aims to reach underserved communities, providing accessible services to those in need.
The Local Government Association (LGA) has welcomed the expansion, emphasizing the importance of fully integrated local support that meets community needs. The LGA stresses the need for long-term, sustainable funding and local flexibility to ensure services can be tailored effectively. The NHS 10-Year Plan aligns with this initiative by committing to digital enhancements such as a “My Children” digital platform and improving health visitor and speech and language support services within Family Hubs.
While the core intent is widely supported, some concerns have been raised regarding the need for sustainable funding and ensuring that local authorities retain flexibility to address specific local needs effectively. There is a broader debate about how well integrated these hubs will be in practice and whether the funding and staffing levels will be sufficient to meet the ambitious goals.
Union and family advocacy groups have highlighted the importance of early intervention and timely referrals, suggesting that Family Hubs could be a vital opportunity to improve outcomes if properly resourced. The success of the Best Start Family Hubs expansion plan relies heavily on sustained funding and local flexibility to ensure that it meets its ambitious goals and provides the necessary support to families across England.
- The integrated health services provided within the Family Hubs include health visiting, infant feeding support, and mental health services, which are crucial elements in family-health and wellness.
- Recognizing the significant role that family health plays in child development, the Best Start Family Hubs expansion plan offers early language development and activities for children aged 0-5, as part of its focus on science-backed health-and-wellness practices for family-health.
- By offering specialist support services like domestic abuse services, substance misuse support, and support for children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), these Family Hubs aim to create a politically inclusive environment that supports the needs of families in underserved communities.
