Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to her Department's policy paper entitled Giving every child the best start in life, published on 7 July 2025, how many best start family hubs are planned to be operational by April 2026.

On 7 July 2025, the government published ‘Giving every child the Best Start in Life’. This outlines the government’s commitment to deliver a new Best Start Family Service to bring together parenting, healthcare and education support services, as well as creating and funding Best Start Family Hubs in every local authority to give children the best start in life by strengthening and joining up family services.

The department will provide over half a billion pounds of investment in the Best Start Family Service over the 2026/29 spending review period. Up to 1,000 Best Start Family Hubs will be rolled out following additional investment. Local authorities not currently funded through family hubs will receive development grants in 2025/26 to ensure national rollout from April 2026.

We are working within the department and with the Department of Health and Social Care to share further information about what the spending review settlement means for the continuation and expansion of the programme.