Following a lobbying campaign by Saqib Bhatti MP, Member for Meriden and the Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council (SMBC), the Department for Education has allocated £1 million for the opening of four family hubs in the Solihull borough. These centres are essential to better support families at an earlier stage and to implement a more preventative approach by SMBC. This additional resource will strengthen SMBC’s ability to work much better with families right from the beginning and offer them the support that they need.
The proposed locations for the family hubs are Kingshurst, Smith’s Wood, Chelmsley Wood, and Elmdon and they will be placed on sites with good transport links to make them as accessible as possible to all families. The hubs will be run by SMBC in conjunction with the NHS and the Integrated Care Service (ICS) to provide a comprehensive list of services for local families.
The centres will focus on providing support for families, including maternity services and parenting programmes, and will offer appointments with midwives and health visitors. They will also provide social activities, support for parents, help for people with special educational needs, playgroups, and youth clubs.
Commenting on the news, Saqib said:
“I am so pleased that we have received the funding for four family hubs to be opened in the Solihull Borough. This is an issue that is incredibly important to me, and I am glad that the Department for Education recognises the need for support within our constituency.”
“The locations of the family hubs reflect the areas of most need within the borough, and I am excited for families to be able to take advantage of all the services on offer. It is imperative that families have access to support that can be used in a preventative manner to engage with SMBC at an earlier stage.”
