Families of children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities will soon receive faster, earlier support as the government confirms that community-based early intervention will roll out in every Best Start Family Hub from April.
As part of the pledge to establish Best Start Hubs in every local authority next year, councils will recruit a dedicated SEND practitioner in each hub to provide direct, family-facing support that has been missing for too long.
Research from the Institute for Fiscal Studies shows that when early help is absent, more children go on to require higher-level SEND support later in childhood. To break this cycle, by 2028, Best Start Family Hubs will act as one-stop shops for families, offering a menu of proven interventions—from speech and language sessions for toddlers to specialist parent and baby groups.
The Best Start offer follows the ambition of Sure Start, which research shows improved long-term outcomes: children living near a Sure Start centre for their first five years were 0.9 percentage points more likely to achieve five good GCSEs at age 16.
Currently, one in four families with children under five cannot access local children’s centres or Family Hubs, rising to one in three lower-income families, contributing to too many children starting school unprepared.
To access their share of the £500 million Best Start investment, local authorities must prioritise neighbourhoods facing the greatest barriers, with 70% of hubs located in the 30% most disadvantaged communities.
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said:
“Giving every child the best start in life means revitalising family support so that parents can rely on it once again.
“Nowhere is that support more important than for families of children with SEND, where early, expert help can make all the difference not only for parents, but for children’s life chances.
“And now, local councils will need to work with us to put Best Start Family Hubs in the heart of communities, in service of the families who need them most, and on the frontline of our battle to break the link between background, and success.”
The strengthened offer sets a new national baseline for early help, rooted in fairness and prevention. It will help parents understand their child’s development, identify emerging needs sooner, and ensure vital join-up between early years settings, health visitors and SEND teams.
For families, this means getting answers and support earlier, practical advice to manage everyday challenges before they escalate, and quick connections to further help if needed.
This transformative programme, alongside wider measures such as free school meals for families on Universal Credit, free breakfast clubs, and scrapping the two-child benefit cap, demonstrates the government’s commitment to building a fairer system and improving outcomes for children nationwide.
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