Giving Every Child the Best Start in Life

Wera Hobhouse Excerpts

Monday 7th July 2025 Commons Chamber

[Bridget Phillipson]

My hon. Friend is right about access to both family support services and health services. I have discussed this with the Health Secretary, and I know he takes a keen interest in it. When families are able to access appointments only during the school day, that can mean children’s attendance at school takes a hit. That is why, through the NHS 10-year plan, we are working very closely on that. Also, one of the lessons I saw from the last Sure Start programme was how, when we listen to communities and parents, we deliver the services they want, which are not always the services the professionals think they need. That is why working with parents and communities on designing services in a way that is genuinely accessible to them will be a critical part of what we expect local authorities to do.

[Wera Hobhouse (Bath) (LD)]

Only 34% of disadvantaged pupils in Bath met the required standards for reading, writing or maths in 2021-22, which was well below the national average. It is always surprising that Bath, which is a prosperous city, has very deep pockets of deprivation. The Language for Life programme in my constituency has made a big difference in participating schools for the young people who need additional, but not specialist, support—the Secretary of State has already mentioned that difference between additional and specialist support. How can she ensure that the most disadvantaged families, who are the least likely to ask for support, have access to these additional services?

[Bridget Phillipson]

The hon. Member is right to seek to ensure that families facing extra challenges or struggles and the most disadvantaged families have access to Best Start family hubs. Again, the evidence, particularly from the first phase of Sure Start, demonstrated that engagement with parents and communities—good outreach work—is critical to building that. I recognise what she says about some of the gaps, including in what are otherwise perceived as prosperous communities. That is why we are putting a lot of emphasis on support for reception year to make sure that, as children arrive at school, they have the support they need to thrive, and to make sure that our brilliant staff working in early years and reception are able to identify need much more quickly and put in place the support required.