Recommendation 12

New parents have missed out on vital support from professionals such as health visitors to baby classes and groups. We’ve heard how important this support is for parental mental health and for helping to lay the foundation for parenting, family life and early infant development. The Government has announced a £1 billion catch- up fund for older children who have missed out on valuable education. These new parents have also missed out at a crucial time for both them and their children. The Government should fund and provide additional catch-up support targeted at this cohort of parents to enable them to access both the professional and more informal support that plays such an important role during the first few months of parenting.