Issue details

Proposed decision:

Cabinet Member for Integrated Children’s Services to: 

APPROVE the adoption of the Best Start in Life Family Hub Model; and subject to review and assessment of the terms and conditions associated with the funding, approve the acceptance of the Best Start Family Hub grant award and the deployment of the grant funding in accordance with the grant conditions and the Best Start Family Hub Model 

Reason for the decision

Within the Spending Review in June 2025, the Chancellor announced continued investment in the Family Hub Programme. In July 2025, the government launched the Best Start in Life Strategy alongside their commitment to invest £500m for the national roll out of Best Start Family Hubs; a 3-year Programme starting on 1 April 2026.

On 7 November 2025, the Department for Education (DfE) and Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) announced that the provisional allocation for the Best Start in Life Programme for Kent County Council is £15,354,500, for financial years 2026-29. The DfE and DHSC will share guidance on the service and delivery expectations ahead of April 2026.

A series of Key Decisions by the Cabinet Member for Integrated Children’s Services accepted the original transformation grant funding for Family Hubs and adopted our new Family Hub service model. A new Key Decision is required to adopt the Best Start Family Hub Model and to accept funding for the 3-year programme.

Background – Provide brief additional context

In October 2022 the Cabinet Member for  Integrated Children’s Services took decision 22/00094 and Kent County Council (KCC) signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Department for Education (DfE) which accepted the initial 3-year transformation grant funding. This decision set out the requirement for the development of detailed proposals, public consultation and appropriate governance ahead of a further Key Decision on the Family Hub model. 

In November 2023, after the development of detailed proposals, public consultation and appropriate governance, KCC Cabinet took decision 23/00092 to implement the Family Hub model across the county.  

In March 2025, the Cabinet Member for  Integrated Children’s Services took Decision 24/00124 and Kent County Council (KCC) signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Department for Education (DfE) which accepted the Year 4 Family Hub grant. This grant funding will end on 31 March 2026.

Options (other options considered but discarded)

The option to not adopt the Best Start Family Hub Model and not accept the grant money has been considered. If the announcement related to the conditions on how the grant is to be used is made in quarter 4 of financial year 2025/26 (i.e. in February 2026) it will likely impact on the Local Authority’s ability to mobilise resources to implement additional service requirements or procure services. This in turn, will pose a risk to the delivery of services and cause a reputational risk for Kent County Council.

While understanding the risks associated with a late announcement, we have discounted the option of not accepting the additional funding in recognition that children, families and communities in Kent will benefit from additional support.

Final determination of whether the Best Start Family Hub model can and should be accepted, and whether the funding can and should be accepted would be dependent on the terms and conditions associated with the model and funding – these will be reviewed at the point of decision.

How the proposed decision supports the Councils Strategic Statement

AIM 3: Supporting residents that need help - The Family Hub model, supported through Best Start funding, supports Aim 3, by embedding prevention and early intervention within service delivery. Family Hubs provide accessible, integrated support for parents/carers and children, helping families address challenges before they escalate and empowering them to make informed choices that improve health and wellbeing. By investing in services that promote parenting skills, parent-infant relationships and home learning environment, Family Hubs help to reduce dependency on crisis interventions and ensure every child has the opportunity to grow up safe, secure, and supported, and help families stay together.

Financial Implications

The DfE and DHSC have announced that the provisional funding allocation for the Best Start in Life Programme for Kent County Council is £15,354,500, for financial years 2026-29. The distribution of Kent’s funding allocation by Programme Strand is set out in the table below.

While the delivery expectations of the grant are not yet known, the Programme Strands are a continuation of the current Strands, with the exception of ‘Healthy Babies Offer’, which has changed from ‘Start for Life Offer’.

It is expected that the funding will support the ongoing delivery of Family Hubs in a way that complements and enhances existing services. Based on current understanding, the grant is not expected to place additional pressure on the Council’s revenue or capital budgets. Additionally, DfE has confirmed that Best Start funding may be used for delivery of existing services which could support a reduction in the base budget for Family Hubs. Therefore, a portion of this funding could be allocated to staff costs associated with delivering these services.