CHILDREN don’t come cheap and the cost of just the basics like nappies, a push chair, food and clothing can easily mount up. Getting enough sleep is enough of a problem for any new parent without being kept awake as well by money worries so I wanted to let you know about some of the financial support that is available from the government for families. This includes:

• Child benefit - anyone bringing up a child is entitled to this. From January, it went up to £20 a week for the first child and to £13.20 for other children

• Tax credits - nine out of ten families are eligible for Child Tax Credit and in April this rose by £75 above inflation so that it is worth up to £2,235 a year

• £190 Health in Pregnancy grant - this is a new one-off grant for all mums-to-be introduced by the government in April. Just ask your doctor or midwife for a form

• £500 Sure Start Maternity Grant - families also qualify for this if they receive more than the basic family element of Child Tax Credit

• Child Trust Fund - this is a tax-free savings account for all children born since September 2002 which is worth £250 (£500 for children in low income households)

• Maternity leave - everyone now has the right to 52 weeks, with 39 of those paid. New fathers have the right to two weeks paid time off as well

• Help with health costs - if you are pregnant or have given birth within the last year you are entitled to free dental treatment and other help. You may also qualify if you are on low income

This weekend we will celebrate the 65th anniversary of D-Day, which was a key turning point in the Second World War. After the war, the then Labour government set up the National Health Service and made secondary education free for all. As part of an attempt to create a fairer society, it also introduced family allowances, which later became child benefit.

The aim was to prevent children having to go without by helping their parents meet the extra costs that all families face. At first, family allowances were set at a low level and child poverty is still a problem but the present government has made progress in reducing it. Far from abandoning the fight in the face of the present economic downturn, I am pleased that it has made it a priority to support families and to try to ensure that all children have a decent start in life.