Access to early SEND support to be offered through Family Hubs
Families of children with SEND in Lincolnshire will soon receive faster, earlier support as the government confirms new community-based early intervention is to roll out in every Best Start Family Hub from April.
As part of the government’s pledge to roll out Best Start Hubs in every local authority next year, councils are being tasked with recruiting an all-new dedicated SEND practitioner in every hub to provide direct, family-facing support.
Research from the Institute of Fiscal Studies is clear that when early help is missing, more children go on to need higher-level SEND support later in childhood.
To stop this cycle, by 2028, Best Start Family Hubs will act as a one stop shop for the whole community – offering parents a range of support, including a menu of proven interventions, from child-focused speech and language sessions for toddlers to specialist parent and baby groups.
The Best Start offer will follow Sure Start in its ambition to ensure every child gets the best possible start in life – with research showing that children who lived within a short distance of a Sure Start centre for their first five years were 0.9 percentage points more likely to achieve five good GCSEs at age 16.
Now, the government says, 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, with the lack of support contributing to too many children not being ready to start school.
To access their share of the £500 million Best Start Family Hub investment, every local authority must prioritise the neighbourhoods where families face the greatest barriers to support, with an ambition for 70 per cent of all hubs to be located in the 30 per cent most disadvantaged communities.
Coun Natalie Oliver, executive councillor for children’s services at Lincolnshire County Council, said: “We welcome the announcement by the government to incorporate more SEND provision within our family hubs as we have been trailblazers for this type of provision already. We recognised that there can be missed opportunities to identify SEND at an early age and have recruited Early Years Advisors who specifically look at SEND effectiveness. One of the things they provide is weekly drop-ins for parents and carers and help them navigate the support available from professionals who work with children with additional needs.
“We are very much looking forward to building on this successful work with the further guidance on developing SEND work to support children and their families across Lincolnshire.”
Education Secretary Bridget Philipson 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 new offer will help parents understand their child’s development, identify emerging needs sooner, and support vital join-up between early years settings, health visitors and SEND teams.
This will mean families getting answers, reassurance and help much earlier and it can get advice on early development concerns and help to understand support for SEND in one place.
Professionals will step in early with practical advice so parents can manage everyday challenges before they escalate or become medicalised, and families will be connected quickly to further support if they need it.