Buckinghamshire Council has today 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.”

ENDS

 

Notes to Editor

 

What Best Start Family Hubs will offer

Best Start Family Hubs focus on pregnancy and the earliest years, providing strengthened integration of services such as health visiting, midwifery and early years support. Families will benefit from:

• more coordinated health, early years and family support
• evidence‑based parenting programmes to strengthen home learning
• earlier identification of special educational needs and disabilities (SEND)
• improved access to perinatal and family health services
• proactive outreach to families who may benefit most from early help

Elmhurst Family Centre already delivers a wide range of activities, including free universal stay‑and‑play sessions, parenting groups, targeted early years interventions and sessions run by partner agencies. Its central location, strong community links and space for co‑located services make it well‑suited to become the county’s first Best Start Family Hub.

Elmhurst Family Hub remains open as normal and work is already underway to enable the phased introduction of the new Best Start offer to families.

A phased and evidence‑led approach

Only a small number of sites will be designated as Best Start Family Hubs at any one time, ensuring the model is built on evidence and remains sustainable. Insight from Elmhurst Family Centre’s early delivery will inform future expansion across Buckinghamshire.

The enhanced offer at Elmhurst will continue to develop over time, shaped by family feedback, local insight and ongoing evaluation of what best supports early childhood development.

Buckinghamshire’s Best Start in Life Plan 2026–2029, including further detail on the long‑term vision for Best Start Family Hubs, will be available shortly at:
https://familyinfo.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/family-hub-network/best-start-in-life