Government announces new Family Hubs

Eventually there will be 75 hubs (previously announced), but initially there will be 'trailblazers' in 14 areas. These were selected after a competitive bidding process. The 14 are:

• Blackpool

• Cornwall

• County Durham

• Coventry

• East Sussex

• Hull

• Isle of Wight

• Kent

• Manchester

• Northumberland

• Salford

• Sheffield

• Sunderland

• Torbay

Services include help with infant feeding and perinatal mental health support as well as linking to wider services such as smoking cessation and job advice. The hubs will offer support from conception through to age 19, or up to 25 for children with special education needs and disabilities.

The announcement also notes that Government is confirming the final five areas to receive investment from the Family Hubs Transformation Fund, which will transition services which used to operate under the Sure Start banner over to the Family Hub model.

Anybody who was involved in Sure Start will tell you that community involvement in the development of the programme was a key focus - and an important factor in its success. I'm not clear from the announcement if there is the same expectation in this - so, if you're in a trailblazer area, it would be good to hear how it goes.