Issued by: Department of Health and Social Care

Government expands Healthy Babies support, boosts adult social care workforce and backs NHS action on violence against women.

The Healthy Babies programme is to be expanded to all local authorities, taking a more integrated approach to family support based on the Sure Start principles.

Parents will get enhanced infant feeding and mental health support, as well as help to form strong relationships with their babies, alongside health visiting and midwifery support, at more than 1,000 hubs by 2028.

The government announced the roll out of the Healthy Babies programme to every Best Start family hub in England as Health and Social Care Secretary Yvette Cooper set out plans for a more integrated approach to family support, similar to that provided by Sure Start.

Best Start Family hubs have been rolling out across England, but more than half of local authorities have hubs without Healthy Babies services, meaning families cannot always access integrated health, early years development and family support in one place.

The Healthy Babies programme will now be expanded to all local authorities with the Sure Start principles of a more integrated approach to family support.

The announcement is part of the government’s neighbourhood health approach that will see integrated early years, family and elderly support delivered closer to home.

Adult Social Care

To build a resilient workforce that underpins the National Care Service, the Secretary of State has also announced that a new adult social care workforce plan is set to be published by the end of the year and will open up more opportunities for jobseekers to start careers in care.

Care workers will also benefit from the first national collective pension scheme for adult social care announced today, providing stability in retirement and a fresh incentive to pursue a career in care.

To support millions of unpaid carers across the country, the Secretary of State announced that she will appoint a new champion for unpaid carers.

Together, the measures mark the next steps towards a National Care Service, alongside Baroness Louise Casey’s Independent Commission, which is due to report by summer 2027.

Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG)

The government is also strengthening the NHS response to violence against women and girls, backed by £49.4 million of funding for Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) over three years, as Secretary of State has today recognised VAWG as a public health epidemic.

Up to £34.4 million over three years will support 12 ICBs across England to deliver the first phase of the Steps to Safety referral service, making sure women and girls experiencing violence and abuse can access specialist support through their GP. A further £15 million over three years will be invested in victim support services through ICBs across England.

A targeted consultation will be launched with stakeholders on the development of a national framework for a public health approach to VAWG covering prevention, early identification, support and recovery.

A new National Clinical Lead for Violence Against Women and Girls will also be appointed to support a stronger, joined-up health response.

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