Best Start in Life Plan 2026 to 2031

Stockton-on-Tees Best Start Family Hubs are part of the national Family Hub programme, giving families a welcoming place to find help, advice and support all in one place. From pregnancy and the early years through to adolescence (and up to age 25 for young people with special educational needs and disabilities), Family Hubs bring local services together to make life easier for families. Whether it's support with infant feeding, child development, emotional wellbeing or parenting, families can access the right help at the right time, close to home. The Best Start Family Hub offer is focused on giving every child the best possible start in life, reducing inequalities and helping parents and carers feel confident and supported as their children grow.

Over the next five years, Stockton‑on‑Tees will develop a network of Best Start Family Hubs — places where families can easily find help, advice and support, all under one roof. Family Hubs will support families from pregnancy, through the early years, and into adolescence, and will also offer help up to age 25 for young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). By bringing services together, we aim to make it simpler for families to get the right support at the right time, close to home.

Using local data on child development, early education, and family need, Redhill has been chosen as the first Best Start Family Hub in Stockton-on-Tees. This means that families in Redhill and the surrounding area will be the first to benefit from a more coordinated, welcoming and easy‑to‑navigate offer of support. Redhill will also lead the way in trying out new ideas around Home Learning and Play, helping parents and carers feel confident supporting their children's learning and development at home.

Partnership working will be at the heart of everything we do. Family Hubs will bring together health services, early years providers, schools, voluntary and community groups, and wider council services. By working as one team, we can make sure families experience a smoother, more joined‑up journey, reducing the need to repeat their story, avoiding duplication, and ensuring support is offered when it is most needed.

Our long‑term ambition is simple:

To give every child in Stockton‑on‑Tees the best possible start in life, reduce inequalities, and help parents and carers feel supported as their children grow. The development of Redhill Family Hub is the first step in building a strong and sustainable network of support for families across the Borough.