Five new Best Start Family Hubs are to open across Bassetlaw as part of the government's £500 million national rollout, with confirmed locations in Worksop, Retford, Harworth, Misterton and Langold.

The announcement comes from Bassetlaw MP Jo White, who has been working with Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson MP on the programme, which will bring hundreds of new family hubs to every local authority in England by April 2026.

What is a Best Start Family Hub?

Family Hubs are designed to be a single local point of access for parents and carers of children from pregnancy through to age 19 (or up to 25 for young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities). They bring together services that have traditionally been spread across many different buildings and agencies, including:

  • Midwifery, health visiting and infant feeding support
  • Parenting support and early help
  • Mental health and wellbeing services
  • SEND support – with every Best Start Family Hub required to have a dedicated SEND practitioner
  • Speech, language and communication support
  • Access to wider council and community services

The idea is to make it easier for local families – especially those under pressure – to get the right support in one place, rather than bouncing between GPs, children's centres, schools and council officers.

“Best Start Family Hubs will revitalise family services – bringing together health, parenting support and practical advice in one place, free and close to home.”

— Bridget Phillipson MP, Secretary of State for Education

Where Bassetlaw's hubs will be

The five confirmed locations across Bassetlaw are:

  • Worksop – the largest town in the district, serving the Worksop, Gateford, Kilton and surrounding ward population
  • Retford – covering East Retford, West Retford and the surrounding villages
  • Harworth – the growing town at the northern end of the district
  • Misterton – serving the rural north-east of Bassetlaw
  • Langold – serving the former mining communities around Langold and Carlton-in-Lindrick

Exact site addresses, opening times and referral details have not yet been published by Nottinghamshire County Council, which is the local authority responsible for children's services in Bassetlaw.

Part of a £500m national rollout

The Bassetlaw hubs are part of a £500 million national expansion targeted at disadvantaged communities, with the government committed to a Best Start Family Hub in every local authority in England by the end of April 2026. Up to 1,000 hubs are planned across England by the end of 2028.

Each hub will also have a dedicated SEND practitioner – a response to long-running concerns that families of children with special educational needs and disabilities struggle to get timely support.

How to find out more

Once sites and opening times are confirmed, Nottinghamshire County Council will publish details on its Family Hubs portal. In the meantime, existing family support services continue to operate through:

  • Ask Lion – Nottinghamshire's family information and services directory at asklion.co.uk
  • Nottinghamshire County Council children's services – through the main council switchboard
  • Your health visitor – for ante-natal and early years support

Worksop Wire will publish further details for each Bassetlaw location once they are confirmed.