Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many Best Start Family Hubs are planned for the West Midlands.

Ensuring every child has the best start in life and the chance to achieve and to thrive are the foundation stones of the government’s Opportunity Mission.

The department will spend close to £1.5 billion over the next three years on improving family services and early years education to begin the hard work needed to deliver these changes.

We will fund Best Start Family Hubs in every local authority to ensure that children and families who need support the most, especially those from low-income backgrounds or with additional vulnerabilities, can access it. These hubs will be open to all families but will be located in disadvantaged communities where support is most needed.

Local authorities will identify family hub sites and the numbers of hubs and services delivered will vary depending on local needs.

The department will be providing guidance to local authorities in time to support service delivery from April 2026.