Children in West Northants get a £186,246 Best Start in life from Labour

Labour is backing families in West Northants to be part of a £12million national programme of family hubs to give children the best start in life.

Cllr Sally Keeble, leader of West Northants Council's Labour Group welcomed the commitment from the Labour Government to fund a pioneering Best Start centre in West Northants. Best Start centres aim to bring together a wide range of services from health care to money advice.

"Best Start family hubs will deliver support to children in the greatest need.," Cllr Keeble said. "The Government has said the new centres are to be identified by the end of this year and should start providing services by April 2026. They are to target the areas of highest deprivation - something that is desperately needed in West Northamptonshire.

"The Labour Group has been making the case for family support to be provided in the most challenging areas in central and east Northampton. This funding from the Labour Government can make this a reality."

Best Start Centres are only part of the Labour Government's commitment to working families. It is also:

o   Rolling out 30 hours of government-funded childcare for working parents, saving them £7,500 per child, per year.

o   Creating and expanding new school-based nurseries, smashing targets on number of childcare places created.

o   Ending ‘toddler top-up fees’, protecting parents from overcharging on items nappies so no one is priced out from accessible, affordable childcare.

o   Investing a record uplift to the early years pupil premium.

Rt Hon Bridget Phillipson MP, Education Secretary said: "“It’s the driving mission of this government to break the link between a child’s background and what they go on to achieve – our new Best Start Family Hubs will put the first building blocks of better life chances in place for more children."