Bournemouth MP Tom Hayes has backed a report calling for stronger Sure Start services, including more health reviews, stronger health visiting and better links with family hubs. Bournemouth’s MP has backed calls to strengthen Sure Start services for children and families. Tom Hayes welcomed a Centre for Young Lives report in Parliament, which calls for every child to receive a health and development review and for health visiting services to be strengthened through smaller caseloads. The report also recommends bringing family hubs and health services together under a Sure Start brand, while
Bournemouth’s MP has backed calls to strengthen Sure Start services for children and families.
Tom Hayes welcomed a Centre for Young Lives report in Parliament, which calls for every child to receive a health and development review and for health visiting services to be strengthened through smaller caseloads.
The report also recommends bringing family hubs and health services together under a Sure Start brand, while the Government has committed to putting Sure Start health services in every family centre and expanding Healthy Babies to every council.
The Government is also investing in Best Start Family Hubs, which are intended to create up to 1,000 hubs across England by 2028 and bring health, education and family support services together so more children arrive at school ready to learn.
Mr Hayes said, “Every child in Bournemouth deserves the best start in life,” and pointed to the new Family Hub Best Start in Boscombe and Springbourne, which he said had been funded by the Government.
Haroon Chowdry, chief executive of the Centre for Young Lives, said government action on children and families from birth was welcome, but added that “more is needed” so every child gets off to a good start.
