Parenting advice on social media is often poor quality, says Phillipson

Bridget Phillipson told the media that Labour’s new Best Start family hubs ‘will stand the test of time’. Photograph: Andrew Milligan/PA

Parents who turn to TikTok influencers and Instagram gurus for advice on everything from potty training to childhood vaccination are at risk of falling victim to misleading and poor quality information, the education secretary has warned.

Bridget Phillipson was speaking at the launch of the government’s “Best Start in Life” campaign – sometimes described as Sure Start Mark 2 after the last Labour government’s early years policy, regarded by many as its finest achievement.