FAMILIES and children in Thurrock will be able to access vital early years support such as pregnancy support, infant feeding advice, and parenting classes, as part of a £126 million funding boost by the Government.
Thurrock is expected to receive at least £1.2 million through family hubs and the Start for Life programme in line with this wider investment increase. This announcement forms part of the Government’s drive to give every child the best start to life and deliver on Labour’s Plan for Change.
Children’s early years are crucial to their development, health and life chances. Antenatal classes, health visitors, parenting support, baby and toddler groups and access to affordable, high-quality early education and childcare – all are vital to guiding parents and supporting child development.
However, over 80% of parents across the country have said they struggled to access services. This lack of support in early years can act as a barrier to development and contributes to too many children not being ready to start school.
The Government has committed to strengthening and joining up family services to increase support through pregnancy and early childhood and improve long term outcomes for children, including through this investment in Family Hubs and the Start for Life programme. This is part of the Governments’ wider ambition to break down the barriers to opportunity, set out in Labour’s Plan for Change.
Jen Craft, MP for Thurrock, said:
“This funding boost for vital early years support in Thurrock is brilliant news for families and children in our community.
“As a mother raising two young children here in Thurrock, I know how important these local services are for new parents.
“This investment from the Government into a range of key services will make a huge difference for local families, supporting parents to give their baby the best start to life.”
Andrew Gwynne, Minister for Public Health and Prevention, said:
“This crucial investment provides a strong foundation to deliver our commitment to raise the healthiest generation of children ever, by giving parents the support they need to ensure their baby has the best start in life.
“The first two years of a child’s life lay the building blocks for their physical and emotional wellbeing into adulthood. That’s why we are investing in early years, as part of our Plan for Change, to improve access to services in deprived areas to ensure no-one is left behind.”
