By Patrick Hurley, MP for Southport
Parents in Southport often look back with real fondness and a deep sense of gratitude for the support that Sure Start centres provided during those crucial early years of their children’s lives.
Many still remember campaigning in 2013, holding placards and singing “Save Our Centres” and “Every Child Matters” as the closures and cuts began to bite.
One constituent recently told me how much the Bishop David Sheppard Sure Start Centre had meant to her and her child, before it was sadly closed as a result of austerity cuts.
I completely agree, every child matters. That’s why I’ve been pushing the Government to act to bring back these family hubs and restore the vital services they once offered to families in Southport and across the country.
Because in 2010, the Government took a scythe to these services, and the consequences have been stark.
When that government left, one in four families with children under five couldn’t access local children’s centres or Family Hubs, rising to one in three lower-income families.
Thousands of parents were cut off from vital community support networks and specialist services, left to navigate the challenges of parenthood alone.
This had a devastating impact on children’s life chances, with early development, wellbeing, and future attainment all in jeopardy.
Speaking to local families who visit my surgeries, raise issues around SEND, or email me, I hear time and again calls for more support with SEND, nutrition, youth services, early development and much more.
I was delighted to hear this week that the calls I’ve been making for these services to return have finally paid off for families across both Sefton and Lancashire, as my constituency spans both areas, with Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson announcing £146,903 for Sefton and £347,048 for Lancashire, with the explicit instruction to create a physical Best Start Family Hub by April.
Best Start Family Hubs will build on the proud legacy of Sure Start, becoming a one-stop shop for parents seeking convenient, accessible support.
And they’ll also build on the cost-saving measures we have already put in place to support families:
● 30 hours of government-funded childcare, saving working parents £7,500 per child per year.
● New Best Start school-based nurseries, creating the places to make childcare accessible and affordable.
● Best Start free breakfast clubs, putting £450 back in parents’ pockets, with the national rollout beginning early next year.
● Best Start HAF clubs, now secured for years to come so they can continue supporting families over the holidays.
● Cheaper school uniforms, with a new cap on branded items.
This week’s announcement shows what we can do when we work together.
An MP for Southport, genuinely listening to local families and acting on your feedback.
A Government determined to deliver for children, rebuilding public services and renewing our country.
It was hearing these stories, and the challenges faced by local families with young children growing up today, that inspired me to launch my local campaign to bring back family and community services to Southport.
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