Blackpool family hubs welcomed a special visitor last week as the government’s Best Start in Life Champion, Sue Robb, visited the town to see how local families are being supported.

Sue Robb is an early years expert for government and has advised on plans that family hubs across the country are following as part of the new national Best Start in Life programme.

During her visit, Sue met parents, children and family hub staff to see some of the support available to families in Blackpool. This included a Chatting with Children session at South Family Hub and a Sip and Share session with parents at North Family Hub.

The visit gave Sue an opportunity to see first-hand how Blackpool’s family hubs are bringing the Best Start in Life approach to life here, while providing a welcoming place for families to access support, meet other parents and take part in activities with their children.

Blackpool Council has a longstanding partnership with Better Start to provide a comprehensive offer for parents and families across the town. This includes support from pregnancy through to when children reach the age of four, helping families access information, advice and practical support when they need it.

Sue’s visit also provided an opportunity to discuss some of the work taking place across Blackpool. This included highlighting services available to support children’s early communication and development, and help parents build their confidence, ensuring families can access the right support at the right time.

Blackpool’s Family Hubs form part of the national Best Start Family Hubs and Healthy Babies programme, providing £900 million over three years on joined-up support for babies, children and families across England. To find out more about Blackpool Family Hubs and the support available for families, visit www.blackpool.gov/familyhubs.