Best start in life

The earliest years of a child’s life have a huge impact on their long-term development and future life chances. Good care before conception and during their mother’s pregnancy, and the right support during their early years, gives a child the best chance of maximising their potential and having better outcomes.

Over the next four years we will:

• Ensure prospective parents are well prepared for parenthood by:
  • Empowering a wide range of partner organisations to prepare prospective parents for parenthood
  • Making sure children are ready for nursery and school and demonstrate a good level of overall development
• Work in partnership to ensure all children, particularly Looked After Children, children eligible for free school meals, children with Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities (SEND), and children for whom English is an additional language achieve a good level of development.
• Support the most vulnerable children and families to access the right support at the right time, whether it be access to childcare or 1-2-1 family support.
• Narrow the health inequalities gap for low income groups and their peers by commissioning and delivering services and interventions which target localities and groups with poorer health and wellbeing outcomes.