Six new family hubs approved across Central Bedfordshire as plan agreed to give children the best start in life
Wednesday, 8 April 2026
Families across Central Bedfordshire will soon find it easier to access help and advice in the early years of their child’s life.
This follows approval of a new plan focused on improving support from pregnancy through to starting school.
The Best Start in Life programme will focus on identifying needs earlier until 2029, supporting families sooner and making services easier to access, helping more children start school ready to learn and thrive.
Aligning with the upcoming national SEND reforms, services will be brought together through a network of family hubs, offering practical support for parents including health advice, parenting groups, childcare guidance and early learning activities for young children.
The first of the new hubs will be based in Dunstable, with further locations planned for Houghton Regis, Leighton Buzzard, Flitwick, the Shefford/Stotfold/Arlesey area and Sandy/Biggleswade.
Alongside these hubs, support sessions will continue to be delivered in more than 100 community locations such as libraries, schools and parks so families can access help close to home.
Around 18,900 children aged under five live in Central Bedfordshire, and the Council says strengthening support in these early years can make a lasting difference to children’s future health, education and wellbeing.
Currently, 68.2 per cent of children locally reach a good level of development by the end of the reception year group in schools (4 to 5 year olds), which is in line with the national average, though the DfE has set a target of 75 per cent by 2028. However, the figure drops to 43 per cent for children receiving free school meals, highlighting the need for more targeted early support.
Cllr Gareth Mackey, our Executive Member for Children and Families, said:
The early years are incredibly important in shaping a child’s health, confidence and learning. This plan is about making it easier for families to find the right help at the right time, whether that’s advice for new parents, support with childcare, or activities that help young children develop and prepare for school.
By bringing services together through family hubs and community sessions, we want parents to feel supported and confident, and to make sure every child in Central Bedfordshire has the best possible start in life.
The hubs will offer a range of support for families with children aged 0-5, including antenatal advice, health visiting services, baby and toddler groups, speech and language support and guidance on accessing early education and childcare. Parenting programmes and online tools will also be available to help families support children’s development at home.
The Best Start in Life plan, which will be published by the end April, will also build on existing early years support already delivered through children’s centres, health services and community organisations. These include evidence-based parenting programmes, advice on home learning and activities designed to help children develop language, social skills and confidence before starting school.