New support hubs approved for High Wycombe and Burnham families
Buckinghamshire Council’s Cabinet has officially signed off on plans to establish two new Best Start Family Hubs in High Wycombe and Burnham. The decision, confirmed during a cabinet meeting on Tuesday, 12 May, expands a targeted support network designed to improve early years development and ensure children are prepared for their first year of school.
These hubs form a core part of the council’s Best Start in Life programme. By centralising services, the local authority aims to provide a “one-stop” environment where parents can access health, education, and social support under one roof. The move follows the successful launch of the first hub in Elmhurst, Aylesbury, which began operations last month.
New facilities for Burnham and High Wycombe
The two new sites have been chosen to address areas of higher need within the county. In Burnham, the council will repurpose the existing Adult Services Day Centre to house the new hub. This site will transition into a multi-agency space where health visitors and early years specialists can work alongside family support workers.
In High Wycombe, the council is currently identifying a suitable permanent location. Once established, the hub will offer a comprehensive package of support, including parenting programmes aimed at strengthening the home learning environment. Families will also have easier access to midwifery services and health visiting, reducing the need to travel between different clinical and community sites.
For children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) or specific developmental delays, the hubs will facilitate more coordinated interventions. This integrated approach is intended to catch potential issues early, providing support before a child reaches school age. Similar models have been adopted elsewhere to better support local children, including the support hub at Northampton Central Library, which integrates health and SEND services into a central community space.
Meeting national school readiness targets
The expansion is driven by the national Best Start in Life programme, which mandates local authorities to improve the proportion of children achieving a Good Level of Development (GLD) by the end of their reception year. Buckinghamshire has set a specific target: 80% of children reaching these developmental milestones by the 2027/28 academic year.
This target includes a focus on closing the gap for children eligible for free school meals. Data indicates that children from disadvantaged backgrounds often face greater challenges in meeting early literacy, communication, and social-emotional benchmarks. The Family Hubs are designed to provide preventative support to these families, offering resources that might otherwise be difficult to access.
By bringing together health and education professionals, the council hopes to create a more seamless transition into the school system. The hubs will host workshops and sessions that help parents understand the milestones their children should be hitting, providing practical tools to support learning at home.
Expanding the family support network
Carl Jackson, Buckinghamshire Council’s Cabinet Member for Education and Children’s Services, stated that the decision builds on the positive momentum of the initial pilot program. He noted that the new hubs in High Wycombe and Burnham would make it easier for local families to access support when they need it most.
The Best Start Family Hubs operate as part of the wider existing Family Hub network in Buckinghamshire. While the new hubs offer a more “targeted” level of service focused on the first few years of a child’s life, they remain connected to the broader social care and community infrastructure.
Work on the Burnham site is expected to begin following the repurposing of the day centre, while the search for the High Wycombe premises remains a priority for the council’s estates team. Residents in these areas can expect further updates on opening dates and specific service schedules as the sites are prepared for public use.
Source: Buckinghamshire Council
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