Giving Every Child The Best Start In Life

The Secretary of State for Education, Bridget Phillipson (Houghton and Sunderland South), recently delivered a statement to Parliament outlining the Government’s new Best Start in Life strategy. The plan sets out reforms to early years services and introduces Best Start Family Hubs, intended to deliver joined-up support for families with children from conception to age five.

The new family hubs are to be accessible to all families, with a particular focus on disadvantaged areas. According to the Department for Education, £500 million will be made available over the current spending review period to support the rollout of the programme, with the aim of reaching an additional half a million children.

The strategy includes a digital hub offer, improved links to health services, support for early years education, and expanded access to Government-funded childcare. The hubs are expected to bring together local partners including nurseries, schools, childminders, health visitors, and voluntary sector organisations.

A number of MPs used the debate to raise issues relating to rural delivery and the need for equitable access to services across all geographies.

Tim Farron MP (Westmorland and Lonsdale) noted that, “if rural England was a distinct region of England, it would be England’s poorest region,” and pressed for guarantees that families in rural and remote communities would benefit from the new provision. In response, the Secretary of State stated that local authorities would have flexibility in delivery and that guidance would be issued on ensuring services reach disadvantaged communities, including rural ones.

Dame Harriett Baldwin (West Worcestershire) asked what difference the hubs would make for parents in counties such as Worcestershire, and was told her area would receive a share of a £12 million development grant to support initial setup. The Secretary of State confirmed that each hub would include a trained SEND professional and that rural authorities would be included in the funding rollout.

Gideon Amos MP (Taunton and Wellington) highlighted long SEND assessment waits in Somerset and asked whether councils serving rural areas would be adequately funded to address existing backlogs. The Secretary of State confirmed that additional SEND investment would continue alongside the family hub rollout, including £740 million for more specialist places and £1 billion for improved support.

Wera Hobhouse MP (Bath) and Monica Harding MP (Esher and Walton) both referred to hidden disadvantage in otherwise affluent areas, noting that disadvantaged families in rural or suburban settings often face additional barriers in accessing early help. The Secretary of State acknowledged these issues and referenced efforts to support digital access and community engagement as part of the rollout.

Local authorities not previously funded under earlier family hub programmes are now expected to receive support under the Best Start strategy. Allocations will be confirmed in the autumn.

The RSN continues to monitor how rurality is being factored into national policy delivery. Issues such as long travel times, digital exclusion, workforce shortages and hidden deprivation remain critical considerations in ensuring that rural families can benefit equitably from early years and family support services.

The full transcript of this debate can be found here

RSN members are encouraged to share local insights, good practice examples, or feedback on early years and family hub delivery in rural areas. Please contact us at [email protected]  to contribute to this work.