Toilet-training: Support for Parents

Baroness Royall of Blaisdon Excerpts

Monday 5th January 2026 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Blake of Leeds (Lab)]

The noble Baroness raises an important question. Our plan for change is committed to the milestone that children at the end of reception, including those with SEND, have received a good level of development. Children with special needs are at the heart of our strategy. We need to make sure that the advice and support given through the hubs is bespoke, tailored to the specific needs of families and children.

[Baroness Royall of Blaisdon (Lab)]

My Lords, while I warmly welcome the Best Start family hubs, when the programme was launched it was said that they would be rolled out throughout England by at least the end of April this year. I live in the Forest of Dean, where many parents would benefit greatly from this service, but, to my knowledge, there is no family hub there yet. Can my noble friend the Minister tell me when the rollout will be complete, to rural as well as urban areas?

[Baroness Blake of Leeds (Lab)]

My noble friend raises the rollout of Best Start family hubs. We are investing £500 million in this rollout and have committed to every local authority area having a hub, delivering over 1,000 hubs by 2028 and reaching an estimated 500,000 additional children. I do not know the specifics of the particular areas, but I am sure that we will get back to my noble friend.