Family hubs to open in every council in England

Family hubs offering parenting support and youth services will be rolled out across every local authority in England, the government has announced.

The £500 million plan aims to support 500,000 more children in the most disadvantaged areas.

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said the “Best Start” family hubs would “give a lifeline” to families.

The Conservatives said there was “little clarity on what’s genuinely new and what simply rebrands existing services”.

The idea of a family hub dates back to the early 2000s when New Labour introduced “Sure Start” centres – focused on supporting young families with early education, childcare and health advice.

Many closed after 2010 when funding was cut by the Tories. But last year the Conservative government under Rishi Sunak rolled out 400…