Intensive support for newborn babies to be piloted from Manchester to Tower Hamlets

February 9, 2007 in Children, Family support

Ten areas that will pilot new intensive support services for newborn babies in families with multiple needs were announced yesterday by children’s minister Beverley Hughes.

They are Barnsley, Derby, Durham and Darlington, Manchester, Slough and Berkshire East, Somerset, Southend, Tower Hamlets and Walsall, and programmes will be led by primary care trusts and councils.

The policy, under which health visitors will offer intensive support to first-time parents for the first two years of their child’s life, was unveiled in last September’s social exclusion action plan.

The Department for Education and Skills also announced an extra £7.5m in parenting support funding to local authorities in 2007-8.