Dame Andrea Leadsom meets Blackpool parents at new Family Hub

Dame Andrea Leadsom, the government’s Early Years Advisor, met with parents to find out out first hand about their needs when she visited the North Family Hub at Grange Park.

She said: “If you want a pint of milk you go to a grocery or a supermarket, and if you’re having a baby you go to the family hub.”

Blackpool is one of 14 areas chosen to receive additional funding from the government’s national Family Hubs and Start for Life programme with £2.8million being targeted on services in the resort over three years.

Three hubs, which have replaced the former council run children’s centres, were officially launched in July with the others being South Family Hub at Palatine Leisure Centre on St Annes Road, and Central Family Hub at Gorton Street.

Dame Andrea said: “I have been talking to a number of parents, particularly today dads, and it is amazing to see that lots of dads are starting to take up the advice and support for finding out how to be a dad.

“For lots of people they come into the family hub to find out what it’s all about when you become a parent.

“Then if they are struggling with questions about crying, sleeping, weaning co-sleeping, their feelings about being a parent and so on, they can come back to the family hub time and time again and get that support.”

She added: “Blackpool has been rolling out the best start for life for many years and it was chosen as a trailblazer because their ambition is very great compared to other parts of the country.”

All three family hubs in Blackpool offer a variety of services for families with children aged up to 19, or up to 25 for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

Particular emphasis is placed on the first 1,001 days of a child’s life – from conception right through to age two.

Dame Andrea was appointed in 2020 and oversees the Start for Life elements of the joint Family Hubs and Start for Life programme which will eventually see 75 local authorities benefiting from £300m of investment up to 2025.