I became a member of the Labour Party following the general election defeat of 2010. My first child had just turned 9 months old and becoming a mum had made me realise how indebted I was to the Labour government for their family friendly policies. Extended maternity leave, child benefit and The Child Trust Fund all provided families with a big helping hand. For me however, SureStart has been the most successful of these initiatives.

Being a new mum is incredibly difficult, but not only for the reasons you read about in books. I could cope with the screaming baby, sleepless nights and endless feeding but I wasn’t prepared for the loneliness that comes with being at home all day. I had a fantastic support network of friends and family but was desperate for people to speak to during the long days when everyone else was at work. Surestart provided me with this.
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