Beverley Hughes MP, Minister for Children, Young People and Families, was accompanied by Chester MP Christine Russell when she uncovered a plaque commemorating the official opening of Kingsway Children's Centre in the former Kingsway High School in Newton.

The centre, part of the Government's Sure Start Initiative to assist young families with childrencare health and support, is the 30th centre to open in Cheshire, bringing the county closer to its 2010 goal of 42 centres.

It is the third to be officially opened in Chester.

Blacon and Lache children's centres have been opened for some time; a fourth centre will open soon at Victoria Infant School, Cheyney Road for children living in and around the city centre, Boughton and Newtown; and the county council recently gave the go-ahead for two more Chester children's centres – one to serve Upton and Capenhurst areas and the other for the children of Great Boughton, Vicars Cross and Christleton.

The centres are staffed by a multi-agency team, including professionals from health and social care, education, Job Centre Plus and the family information service, with the aim to provide a myriad of services under one roof.

Mrs Hughes, who hails from Ellesmere Port, praised the efforts of Mrs Russell and the local education authority, as well as children's centre staff in establishing and running the centres.

She said: "I've been pleased to work with Chester. Chester has been very good working with us in establishing centres.

"All of these services are brought together, so that the whole needs of the family can be looked at in one centre.

"The services there are going to be that much more effective – that's better to help parents get back into work, making families stronger."

The Minister, MP for Stretford in Manchester, added millions of pounds provided by the Government to go into building centres across the country would help to make the biggest difference in the lives of young people.

The centre, which is built on the University of Chester's Kingsway campus, is partnered with the university, which will provide a range of Early Years placements for undergraduate students.

Mrs Hughes said: "Clearly, with this centre, you have an interesting dimension; it's the partnership with the university – that linkage may help parents to get into education. Research tells us that if you give to children, that actually you can make the biggest difference to their secondary education."

Mrs Russell, who also works as Mrs Hughes' parliamentary private secretary, added: "The establishment of children's centres is the greatest achievement of the Government in recent years."

"Now there is a really brilliant partnership that goes to show leadership and commitment by the university, in that they have been a key player."

County manager for children and families, Sue Egersdorff, said: "This is our 30th opening since April 2004. It's an achievement recognised by the Minister of State, showing not only do we have the resources, but we have the will.

"We've only just started. For Cheshire there can be so much achieved by the children's centre." The centre will include activities such as baby massage, stay and play, childminder network drop-in, breastfeeding support, family craft sessions and general advice and guidance.

The centre is also developing a programme which includes managing finances, family learning, antenatal classes, support for mothers with postnatal depression and a Saturday dads' group.

After the opening of the new centre, Mrs Hughes and Mrs Russell made their way to the Northgate Arena, where they took part in a Youth Forum with 100 young people from schools in Chester.

The students talked with the two MPs about their experiences of living in Chester and identifying any barriers that they may have to accessing facilities.