Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s Labour government has unveiled an ambitious £500 million investment to establish 1,000 family hubs by April 2027, bringing back the much-loved Healthy Babies programme to every corner of England. The initiative, announced at the Labour conference in Liverpool, marks a significant policy shift aimed at supporting vulnerable families and restoring the spirit of the groundbreaking Sure Start centres from the late 1990s.
Health and Social Care Secretary Yvette Cooper revealed that the new scheme will prioritise communities most in need, ensuring that mental health support for parents, infant feeding guidance, and vital bonding services become standard provisions. This move comes after a stark reality check: over half of local authorities already operate family hubs, yet more than half lack the crucial Healthy Babies services that can transform young lives.
“Something is missing in half of communities,” Cooper stated. “The Healthy Babies services – mental health support for mums and dads, the feeding and bonding support for your new baby. That changes now.” Her words echo the sentiment of many who remember when Sure Start first began, a time when communities rallied around young families with unwavering support.
A Return to Sure Start Principles
The Healthy Babies programme will follow the foundational principles of Sure Start, which first opened its doors in 1998 under Tony Blair’s Labour government. Back then, Sure Start became more than just centres – they were lifelines for families navigating the challenges of early parenthood. Research consistently showed that these hubs delivered lasting benefits, generating savings that exceeded their initial costs by a significant margin.
However, the Conservative-led austerity measures of the 2010s saw many of these vital services dismantled or severely reduced. Now, Labour is determined to rebuild what was lost, recognising that the foundation of a child’s future is laid in those crucial first months and years of life.
Housing Secretary Angela Rayner, whose own journey as a teenage mother was transformed by local support services, understands this intimately. “My life and my son’s life were turned around by our local centre,” she has spoken of her experience. “These aren’t just nice-to-have services – they’re essential infrastructure for building stronger communities.”
The expansion also includes plans to deploy qualified early years teachers in the most deprived areas, ensuring that expertise reaches where it’s needed most. This targeted approach reflects a deep understanding that inequality in early years directly impacts outcomes across a lifetime.
Building on Personal Experience
The political commitment to family support runs deep within Labour’s leadership. Former Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson, who previously worked at a women’s refuge in Washington, Tyne and Wear before entering politics, wrote powerfully in The Guardian about her firsthand experience with Sure Start’s impact.
“It was a lifeline for those women who, despite everything, were determined to give their children the very best start in life,” she recalled. Phillipson’s observations highlight a critical truth: early intervention isn’t just policy – it’s personal.
Her words underscore the devastating reality that research shows: “The gap in achievement we see between our poorest and most affluent children at 16 is baked in before they even start school, creating a vicious cycle of lost life chances.” This isn’t merely about education statistics – it’s about real families facing real struggles, often in silence.
The new programme addresses these challenges head-on, providing structured support that helps parents navigate the complex landscape of early childhood development. From practical guidance on feeding to emotional wellbeing support, these services recognise that raising children is rarely a solo endeavour.
Implementation and Timeline
The rollout begins immediately, with existing family hubs across England already receiving additional funding to integrate Healthy Babies services. The ambitious target of 1,000 fully operational centres by April 2027 represents one of the largest expansions of early years support in recent history.
Local authorities will receive detailed guidance on accessing funding streams, with priority given to areas demonstrating the greatest need. The programme will prioritise regions where childhood poverty rates exceed national averages, ensuring that resources flow to those who need them most.
Community organisations, healthcare providers, and local councils will work together to deliver these services, creating a coordinated network that builds on existing strengths while addressing previous gaps. Training and support for practitioners will ensure consistent, high-quality service delivery across all locations.
The government has also committed to ongoing evaluation, tracking outcomes for participating families and communities. This evidence-based approach will help refine the programme over time, maximising its impact while maintaining fiscal responsibility.
Why it Matters
This investment represents more than just policy – it’s a fundamental recognition that every child deserves the best possible start in life, regardless of their postcode or family circumstances. By restoring and expanding Healthy Babies services, Labour is not merely rebuilding what was lost, but creating something even stronger: a generation of children equipped with the foundations for success, and families supported through one of life’s most challenging journeys. In a society where inequality continues to shape futures, these family hubs stand as beacons of hope that community, compassion, and commitment can overcome even the deepest divides.
