Truro and Falmouth’s Member of Parliament Cherilyn Mackrory has welcomed today’s announcement that Cornwall Council is one of 75 upper tier local authorities that are eligible to receive funding from the Government’s £301.75 million Family Hubs and Start for Life programme.
Family hubs are one-stop-shops where families can access important services. An effective family hub acts a single ‘front door’, making it easier for families to get the help they need, and to improve the support on offer. Family hubs are for families with children of all ages, but with a great Start for Life (the critical 1001 days from conception to age 2) offer at their core.
The Government will also be providing additional funding for perinatal mental health and parent-infant relationships; help with breastfeeding; and parenting programmes, accessible through the family hub.
The Government will now work with Cornwall Council on the final design of the programme and the council will be able to submit proposals for its use of the funding that will be made available.
Cherilyn said:
“Since 2020 in my work with the Government’s Early Years Health Advisor Andrea Leadsom MP, I have been keen to stress the importance of Family Hubs not just for families of all ages but in particular the critical early years of the first 1001 days from conception to age 2.”
“I have regularly met with the Ministers responsible for this area, Maria Caulfield and Will Quince, to stress the importance of taking action, and it is great to see the Government subsequently focusing so heavily on this area with their Family Hubs and Start for Life programme, and also that Cornwall Council will be benefiting from this funding to support their work.”
“I look forward to engaging closely with Cornwall Council’s excellent Together for Families team as they prepare their proposals and hope to see this funding making a real positive and lasting impact on children and families throughout Cornwall.”