Home-Start UK

The Start for Life and Family Hubs programme currently provides dedicated central government funding to 75 local authorities for both research-based, high-quality early years services and a joining-up of services for families from pregnancy through to 19 (and 25 in some cases). Along with a number of organisations from across the children’s sector, including two major coalitions, and local government bodies, we are urging the new government to maintain funding beyond March 2025, when it is due to end. If funding does end next year, this may mean services that many families only began to access 12 months ago are withdrawn. For local authorities, a crucial plank in their children and families strategies may become unsustainable.  Given the government’s stated aims to “raise the healthiest generation of children ever” and to “break down barriers to opportunity”, we believe as a sector that it would be counterproductive to remove this funding until it has its own clear, longer-term and deliverable early years and family help strategy in place. Read our full cross-sector statement here: https://lnkd.in/djgAatTy

📢 Today marks the official launch of the Baby Bank Alliance! 📢 The Baby Bank Alliance is on a mission to support and advocate for the UK’s baby banks, ensuring babies and children have the essentials they need to thrive. 4.3 million children are living in poverty in the UK, meaning babies and children are lacking the essentials they need to thrive. This is where local baby banks step in. Passing on pre-loved babies and children's items to families in communities. But a local baby bank can't solve this national problem by itself. The Alliance is uniting over 300 baby banks, power comes in our numbers – together we're bringing about bigger change. For the first time, we have gathered data from various baby banks. The new data reveals: ➡ 54.5% increase in referrals between 2021-23, baby banks are inundated with asks for support painting a concerning picture of the state of the nation ➡ Almost 200,000 babies and children were supported by baby banks in 2023, ➡ Baby banks have gifting 1.2million items, worth £27.3 million to tens of thousands of families ➡ provide 99,000 bundles of clothes to keep children warm, over 100,000 books and over 20,000 safe places to sleep. 🌟 Change for children 🌟 Baby banks are about sharing the abundance of preloved items between families, as well as drawing attention to the systemic problems that are leaving families unable to afford essentials. Today, we join calls for the @UK government to abolish the unfair two-child limit, one of the main drivers of rising child poverty in the country. What can people do to help? ·      Get in touch with your local MP and urge them to scrap the two-child limit. ·      Visit the Baby Bank Alliance’s website to find your nearest baby bank and pass on preloved items, volunteer some time or donate money ·      Independent baby banks can join the Baby Bank Alliance for free and be part of a supportive community of hundreds of others across the UK. Visit babybankalliance.org. ·      And of course, if you would like to discuss other ways you might be able to support the Baby Bank Alliance in its mission, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us at info@babybankalliance.org Today marks the beginning of an exciting journey supporting the baby bank community, families and children. With 4.3 million children living in poverty in the UK, and a million of those facing destitution, baby banks have never been needed more. #BabyBankAlliance #supportBabyBanks #EndChildPoverty #SupportFamilies Babybankalliance.org