Giving local families the Best Start in Life

Buckinghamshire Council has confirmed that Elmhurst Family Centre in Aylesbury has been designated as the county's first Best Start Family Hub, marking a major milestone in the council's new 'Best Start in Life' Plan.

Buckinghamshire's Best Start in Life Plan 2026–2029 will set out how the council and its partners will work together to strengthen early support for children and families, improve children's readiness to start school, and increase the proportion of children achieving a Good Level of Development (GLD).

Best Start Family Hubs will play a crucial role in that work, offering a more targeted and comprehensive package of early years support as part of Buckinghamshire Council's existing Family Hub network. Elmhurst Family Centre has been selected as the first Best Start Family Hub site due to local need and it already having the facilities to deliver an improved package of support for families.

Best Start Family Hubs will bring together more closely health, early years and family support, with help ranging from parenting programmes which strengthen the home learning environment to more coordinated intervention where children have SEND or developmental needs, plus improved access to key services such as midwifery and health visiting.

A new, proactive outreach approach will see Buckinghamshire Council identify at an earlier stage those families who can benefit most from the available support, rather than relying on families to seek help themselves.

Over time, Elmhurst will offer more flexible access, including extended opening hours across the week and at weekends, enabling families to get support in ways which fit around work, caring responsibilities and everyday life.

Carl Jackson, Cabinet Member for Education and Children's Services, said:

"This is fantastic news for local families and reflects Buckinghamshire Council's strong commitment to giving every child the best possible start in life.

"Our existing Family Hubs already offer a wide range of support, information and advice for Buckinghamshire families, helping to prevent smaller issues escalating into bigger problems. Our Best Start Family Hubs will build on those achievements, with additional resources focused on the earliest years of a child's life and making families aware of what support is available to them.

"The funding for the 'Best Start in Life' Plan programme is being used in line with the Department for Education's terms and conditions and will supplement Buckinghamshire Council's already substantial investment in early help and support services for local children and families.

"I am sure those Buckinghamshire MPs who have speculated on social media about the council's ability to deliver a 'Best Start in Life' plan will now join other local MPs in welcoming the launch of our first Best Start Family Hub, which is opening both on time and on budget.

"The experience and insights from Buckinghamshire Council's new Best Start Family Hub at Elmhurst will help us deliver more hubs for local families across our county."