Families in West Cumbria will soon see strengthened SEND support through Labour’s expansion of early intervention services in every Best Start Family Hub, including those in Whitehaven and Workington. From April, councils across England will recruit dedicated SEND practitioners for all 1,000 hubs, ensuring families can access expert help early, without the need for a diagnosis – long before problems escalate.
Cumberland is already ahead of the curve, with Family Hubs up and running in Whitehaven and Workington, helping parents navigate early years services more easily. Labour’s national rollout will build on this foundation, ensuring children with emerging needs get timely guidance and support.
Labour inherited a SEND system under enormous strain. Research from the Institute for Fiscal Studies shows that when early help is missing, more children go on to require higher-level interventions later in childhood. Labour’s reforms are designed to break that cycle, creating a simpler, joined-up system that supports families early, locally, and effectively.
By 2028, Best Start Family Hubs will act as one-stop shops for parents, offering proven interventions ranging from child-focused speech and language sessions to specialist parent–baby groups.
Local MP Josh MacAlister has written to Cumberland Council, offering support as the area works towards meeting new locally set development targets – part of Labour’s national goal of ensuring a record number of children are “school ready” by age five.
Cllr Emma Williamson, Deputy Leader of Cumberland Council, said:
“Cumberland’s Family Hubs in Whitehaven and Workington are already making a real difference for local families, giving them a place they can turn to for trusted, joined-up support. Labour’s expanded SEND offer will strengthen that work even further.
“For too long, families have been left waiting for help that comes too late. By putting specialist SEND expertise at the heart of every hub, we can make sure children get the right support early, setting them up to thrive in school and beyond.”
Whitehaven and Workington MP Josh MacAlister MP said:
“Children growing up in West Cumbria deserve the strongest possible start in life, and that means getting support right, early and locally. Our Family Hubs are already showing what’s possible, and Labour’s expanded SEND support will help even more parents get the guidance they need without navigating a maze of disconnected services.
“I’m committed to working with Emma and Cumberland Council to keep improving early development across our communities and to ensure more children are ready to thrive when they start school.”
Josh MacAlister MP 