The number of family hubs and children’s centres, which offer vital support to struggling families, has reduced by more than a third since 2009.
According to data compiled from 108 local authorities by the charity Barnardo’s, families are facing a “postcode lottery of support” as access to specialist hubs varies according to region.
Figures show that funding has been cut by almost £1.4bn between 2010/22 and 2023/24, while children’s poverty levels have increased by more than 15 per cent.
This means that a rising number are struggling with their mental health, arriving at school without the necessary skills to manage in the classroom and entering the care system.
Family hubs were created in the 1990s and provide services such as pregnancy and breastfeeding support, health visiting, child developmental groups and mental health advice.
It often aims to reach families before they reach crisis points, and can offer support around domestic abuse, addiction, online safety and knife crime.
One parent said: “Toys are expensive, not everyone can afford things for their children. When we come to the stay and play sessions or soft play sessions it means things are there that [my children] don’t have at home – it’s really important.”
The charity’s report analysed two parenting programmes at the Sandwell family hub in the West Midlands. It showed that for every £1 spent on one programme, it brought benefits to the public purse worth £3.82, while the other delivered £2.44 for every £1 spent.
Ruth Ellis, a service manager at Ladywood Family Hub said: “Every day is different at a family hub; one day we could have a family walk in who are fleeing domestic abuse, and the next we might see a family who needs food parcels or help with housing. In the winter, we become ‘warmer spaces,’ welcoming people in for a coffee and a chat.
“Families have really felt the pinch of cuts in recent years. They used to be just a pram’s walk away from a family hub, but then suddenly they didn’t know where to go.
“By having a family hub in every community, we can help more families get early support before they reach a crisis point. People know where we are and that we’re here to stay, and word of mouth travels fast. When families know we’re a consistent presence, they’ll come to us when they need us.”
Lynn Perry MBE, CEO of Barnardo’s, says: “Our findings come at a time where almost a third of our children are growing up in poverty; meanwhile increasing numbers are struggling with their mental health, arriving at school without the necessary skills to manage in the classroom, and are entering the care system.
“This just can’t be right, and as a society, we must do more to turn the tide.
“Family hubs offer a safe, welcoming space where parents and children can access vital support. At their best, these centres are a local ‘nerve centre’ – where parents can come for a ‘stay and play’ session, and in the same familiar and welcoming environment, receive help with breastfeeding, talk to a health visitor, receive support with speech and language, attend a parenting course, and even access highly specialist help with issues such as domestic abuse and substance abuse, for those who need it.
“Evidence also shows that family hubs, by getting to families with support before they reach crisis point, also have a long-term financial benefit to the country.
“If the government is serious about its mission to break down barriers for a generation of children, it must use the upcoming child poverty strategy to commit to a network of family hubs for every community.”
The education secretary, Bridget Phillipson, said: “The support offered through the Family Hubs programme is a lifeline for so many families – but with a third of those on the lowest incomes still struggling to get the support they need, I know the system we’ve inherited does not go far enough.
“We’ve already taken vital steps to back families through the government-funded childcare rollout, free breakfast clubs and free school meals for every child on universal credit, but we won’t stop there. We will carefully consider all available evidence and research as we develop our plans for reform so that every family, regardless of background, can benefit from high-quality, joined-up support.”
