Babies: Health Services
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure equitable access to Healthy Babies services for babies in constituencies that cross multiple local authority boundaries.
Answered by Ashley Dalton
We know that many local authorities have strong ties with other areas in their region, and some Healthy Babies services may be delivered across local authority boundaries. Current Family Hubs and Start for Life programme guidance encourages local authorities to consider how best they can collaborate with other areas in their region in improving outcomes for babies, children, and their families.
Healthy Babies is one element of our broader commitment to supporting babies, children and families. From April 2026, Best Start Family Hubs will expand to every single local authority, backed by over £500 million to reach up to half a million more children and families. This funding will help all local authorities to integrate a range of statutory and non-statutory health and family services.
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