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UK offers over £1 bn package to support vulnerable families
Thousands of babies, children and families will benefit from the UK’s £1 billion package which will improve access to support, advice and services from birth through to adulthood.
Ensuring every child is properly supported throughout their life is vital for helping them thrive in future. The government is announcing wide-ranging support across its flagship family programs for those who need extra help to fulfill their potential, leveling up opportunities for children across the country.
To support parents, 75 local authorities have been announced as eligible for a share of £302 million to create new Family Hubs in their areas. These hubs give parents advice on how to take care of their child and make sure they are safe and healthy – providing services including parenting and breastfeeding support.
To further support children in their early years, £100 million of this funding will be shared among eligible areas to roll out bespoke parent-infant relationship and perinatal mental health support. Early intervention helps to improve children’s mental health and life outcomes, which is why this investment is an important step to better support the first few years of a child’s life.
A safe and stable home life is also vital for children’s future life chances, so the government is increasing its support for families who face multiple disadvantages and may need extra help to overcome the challenges they face.
Through its Supporting Families program, 300,000 of the most vulnerable families will receive help from a dedicated key worker who will offer practical assistance, such as hands-on parenting support – backed by £700 million. Among those who have been supported by the program, young people are 38% less likely to end up in prison and 32% less likely to end up in care.
For those children who do grow up in care, and often face multiple challenges without the family support network that others take for granted, the government will provide extra help as they leave the care system and transition to independence. Backed by £172 million, care leavers will be able to access practical advice on housing, finance and employment.
These announcements come just ahead of the Easter holidays, when hundreds of thousands of children from low-income families will also benefit from the government’s Holiday Activities and Food program which provides them with a healthy meal and an enriching activity to help them thrive.
Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi said “If we are to level up outcomes for children facing the biggest challenges, this needs to start at home. Being part of a stable, loving family gives a child an early advantage, which is why we are investing so significantly in helping every family to access the vital services that help them and their children thrive.”
New research published this week shows that last summer (2021) alone, almost three-quarters of a million children benefited from fun activities and healthy food through the HAF program. Of these, 616,000 children took up a free, government-funded place, for those who are either eligible for free school meals or considered by the local authority to be in need of this provision. Clubs around the country targeted disadvantaged young people to benefit their health and wellbeing, and 70 percent of those surveyed had never before been to this kind of free summer holiday provision.
An additional £3.2 million in 2022-23 will help councils to prevent care leavers from sleeping rough as part of the Government’s manifesto commitment to eradicate rough sleeping by the end of parliament. The funding will allow councils to appoint specialist homelessness prevention advisers to provide intensive support to care leavers at highest risk of rough sleeping, as well as homeless prevention coordinators to improve the range and quality of accommodation options available to care leavers.
Minister for Leveling Up Communities, Kemi Badenoch, said “Stable and secure families are the bedrock of society. We want vulnerable families to get the right support at the right time to stop problems from escalating. We’ve seen the significant impact the Supporting Families program has had on families right across the country over the past decade and with the additional funding we’re providing, even more vulnerable families will be able to get the help they need.”
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