The Health Secretary has announced more help for parents despite government cuts hitting families at every opportunity

More new parents and ‘disadvantaged’ families will get help from an intensive support programme.

The Family Nurse Partnerships, has assisted around 6,000 families in England, by providing support and home visits during pregnancy until a baby turns two years old.

Health Secretary, Andrew Lansley has now announced that the number of people benefiting from the service will now double by 2015.

The Government has also pledged to recruit an additional 4,200 health visitors, despite the wide spread cuts in every possible department.

Health visitors, who are short supply and high demand across the country will be needed to provide and expand the intensive care programme.

The Family Nurse Partnership programme was launched by the Labour government in England in 2007, based on three decades of research in the US.

Initial results of the programme in England show a reduction in smoking during pregnancy, future aspirations and more confident parenting.

Despite sweeping cuts affecting working and non working families, Health Secretary Andrew Lansley is keen to tackle ‘health inequalities’ and ‘deep-rooted social problems that cause ill health’.

Whilst the Government currently plans on removing Child Benefit, the Child Trust Fund, the Health in Pregnancy Grant, changes to eligibility on the Sure Start Maternity Grant and leaving families awake at night worrying about the impact of Housing Benefit cuts, Lansley is looking to ‘support’ new parents in their homes as ‘just the start’.

He said: “Every child deserves the best start in life. The first years of life have a long lasting impact on a child’s future health, relationships and happiness.

“We know that early intervention – as provided by the Family Nurse Partnership programme – can help young parents to look after their children better, and can help break inter-generational patterns of disadvantage. And it can improve the health and wellbeing of the parents themselves – they are reducing smoking during pregnancy, are coping better with pregnancy, labour and parenthood and are improving their confidence and self esteem. The evidence base for expanding this programme is clear.