Government considering ‘family hubs’ as part of Downing St policy shake-up
1 min read
Counselling could be on offer to couples on the verge of splitting up, as part of a policy drive to help boost families.
The Prime Ministers’ aides are working on plans for specialist centres which offer services such as breastfeeding advice and relationship support, in a bid to craft policies away from Brexit.
The hubs are based on successful trials at Conservative councils, such as the Isle of Wight’s “strengthening families” programme, which has since been outsourced to Bernardo’s.
Proposals have been drawn up after the Prime Minister was presented with a manifesto last year by 44 Conservative MPs who want to use government policy to strengthen families.
The document now has the support of 60 MPs, including former Work and Pensions minister Iain Duncan Smith and Graham Brady, the chairman of the party’s influential 1922 committee.
They want to see the Prime Minister appoint a special member of Cabinet tasked with helping the UK’s struggling families.
Fiona Bruce, the Tory MP who spearheaded the manifesto, said: “We had a meeting at No 10 and now know that there are officials at No 10 actively engaged in reviewing how some of these policies can be implemented.
“We’re pleased that on a senior level No 10 are engaging. There’s particular interest about the family hubs.”
MPs will debate the manifesto in the House of Commons on Thursday.
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