Source · Select Committees · Health and Social Care Committee
Recommendation 2
2
Accepted in Part
Set out plans to expand Family Hubs with sustained funding and issue guidance for 0-2 services.
Recommendation
We call on the Government to set out plans to further expand the network of Family Hubs to provide access to a Hub every community. This plan must be supported by sustained and ringfenced funding. Previous research on the benefits of the Sure Start Programme clearly set out the long-term benefits and financial returns of such an investment and would directly support this Government’s ambition to give every child the best start in life. We also ask the Government to set out when it will confirm the funding arrangements for new areas and when it plans to issue guidance to those areas on services for children between the ages of 0 and 2. (Recommendation, Paragraph 19)
Government response summary AI-generated
The government commits over £200 million over three years to strengthen the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) offer in Best Start Family Hubs and sets an ambition for 70% of hubs to be located in the 30% most deprived areas. However, it does not fully commit to expansion to 'every community' or sustained, ringfenced funding for the general network.
Summary of the government's response below — read the verbatim text to verify.
Government Response
Accepted in Part
HM Government · verbatim extract
Accepted in Part
2026. The document sets out the definition of a Best Start Family Hub, expectations on hub location and branding requirements and explains how Best Start local plans should be developed and aligned with neighbourhood health plans. In March 2026, we published further guidance for local authorities, setting out our strategic vision for Best Start Family Hubs and Healthy Babies and clear expectations about how the core services should be delivered.
Read the full response on Parliament ↗