The government’s early years minister has said the reformed UK “pro-family” policies are a sham and exclude non-traditional families, ahead of the launch of hundreds of new Sure Start-style family centers across England on Monday.
Olivia Bailey said she wanted the centers to be inclusive for all families and bring change to communities, despite what she called the “criminal” dismantling of Sure Start under the previous Conservative government.
He said, “Sure Start is one of our proudest achievements as a Labor Party.” “The best start is central to what we are trying to do as a government. For the first time in a long time, this is a government that is really focusing on the early years and making sure we give every child the best possible start in life.”
Bailey, who has adopted two children with his wife and is also an equalities minister, said he was concerned about the “chilling” impact of a reform government on gender equality and LGBTQ+ families. “I’m concerned about reform,” he said. “They say they’re the party of families, but it’s pure sham. They say they support families, but I don’t think they support families like mine.”
Bailey pointed to the appointment of right-wing theologian James Orr, who opposes abortion even in cases of rape, incest or serious risk to health, and comments made by Reform MP Danny Kruger, who has said Britain is “suffering from a completely unregulated sexual economy” and warned Britain was about to be led by a “sinister pro-Hamas, pro-LGBT nationalist party”. She said Reform’s plans to repeal the Equality Act would have a “catastrophic impact on women’s rights”.
“They are not a party that will stand up for families like mine, for families of all different shapes and sizes,” he said. “I worry that reform will turn back the clock.”
Speaking at the bustling Harmood Family Hub in Camden, north London, Bailey said the one-stop-shop center – where parents can access services including childcare, health, parenting tips and support – was a model for the first 200 out of 1,000. Best Start Family Hub Which will open in England from Monday. Ministers say the plan is backed by almost £1bn of funding, including £500m specifically for the hub.
The centers will not be a “plug and play” copy of Sure Start – which reached about 3,600 sites under Gordon Brown, he said – but will work with private and voluntary sector childcare settings while having “the same ambitions”. A Study from Institute of Fiscal Studies It found that those living near a Sure Start center in the early years got better GCSE results, had fewer hospital visits and had fewer absences from school. More than 1,400 centers were closed since 2010.
“What the Conservatives did with Sure Start was absolutely criminal. It broke the hearts of communities across the country,” Bailey said. “Parents tell me they feel like they’re bounced back and forth between services and don’t know where to go to get help (but) Best Start Hub is driving this connection between services, and driving this sense of community again.”
These hubs will also be part of the government’s plans to support children with special educational needs, with £200m allocated to fund a family-facing SEND practitioner in each hub. Bailey said: “We saw with Sure Start (that) if you get kids help early on with speech and language, or whatever, it reduces the need for a SEND diagnosis in the future.”
Early years development has become a growing concern for teachers – and politicians – with one in four children starting Reception in 2025 not being toilet trained, according to a recent survey of teachers. Ministers have set a target of making 75% of children school ready by 2028; According to the latest data from the Education Department, currently only 68.3% children meet the criteria.
On Monday, ministers will give local authorities specific statutory targets to increase the proportion of children achieving a “good level of development” by 2028 – including being toilet-trained and able to communicate by the end of reception. Councils will also have to create a local Best Start plan to improve child development, setting out how they will work with other organizations and fund support for children up to five.
Bailey, whose children attended a well-run nursery that used to be a Sure Start centre, said she wanted all parents to share their positive experiences. “As an LGBT family, I was worried about whether I would be accepted, but we found a real sense of belonging and community,” she said. “The help I received gave me great strength and I wish that for everyone.”
