They say it takes a village to raise a child, and this is also true when it comes to driving forward the work of the Early Years Healthy Development Review!

The 25th March was a landmark day for those of us who understand the vital importance of giving every baby the best start for life.  

We marked the release of the Review’s report with an official launch with the Prime Minister at the Monkey Puzzle Nursery in Greenford, London. We also held an online event, supported by the Centre for Social Justice, which heard from a wide range of people,  including Jo Churchill MP, Minister for Public Health, Professor Jane Barlow, and the former Children’s Commissioner, Anne Longfield. You can watch a replay of the event here.

The Vision for the 1001 Critical Days contains 6 Action Areas for transformation and has been adopted as Government policy.  Since the launch, the Start for Life unit of civil servants, together with my own parliamentary team, have been working hard with me to implement the recommendations. 

These include:

• seamless support for families: a coherent joined-up Start for Life offer available to all families

• a welcoming hub for families: family hubs as a place for families to access Start for Life services

• the information families need when they need it: designing digital, virtual and telephone offers around the needs of the family, including a digital version of the Red Book

• an empowered Start for Life workforce: developing a modern skilled workforce to meet the changing needs of families

• continually improving the Start for Life offer: improving data, evaluation, outcomes and proportionate inspection

• leadership for change: ensuring local and national accountability and building the economic case

You can read the full report here.

Our work has seen us speak to parents, academics, practitioners, volunteers, local authorities, charities and politicians, all of whom are committed to improving the joined up services and support on offer for families. 

As part of the continued evidence gathering and engagement, I have visited ‘virtually’ a number of local authorities including Essex, Cornwall, Devon, Stoke, West Northamptonshire and North Northamptonshire as well as with members of the Local Government Association. By the end of the implementation phase I aim to have met with each of England’s 160 local authorities as well as the devolved nations and administrations. 

We have continued to work closely with the charitable and voluntary sector, meeting with representatives from Action for Children, the Parent Infant Foundation, Maternal Mental Health Alliance, Best Beginnings and Home Start, to name a few. The work that they continue to do is vital, and I am pleased to have met many parents and carers through these organisations, hearing directly from them on how support and services can be improved.  I have also met with the Children’s Commissioner, Rachel de Souza to agree shared priorities. 

In Parliament, I have given evidence to the Lords Public Services Committee and the Archbishop of Canterbury’s Families and Households Commission on the work of the Review as well as meeting regularly with the Review’s sponsoring Ministers at the Department for Health, Department for Education and the Cabinet Office. 

And I was thrilled that the early years received its own mention in the Queen’s Speech.

It was inspiring to see the launch of the Royal Foundation’s Centre for Early Childhood and to hear the Duchess of Cambridge’s continuing commitment to ensuring that every baby receives the best start for life. I will continue to support her vital work in this space, and encourage you to read the Centre’s Early Childhood Report here.

Work continues on our bid for the Spending Review.  The Treasury is seeking notification of bids during August, and so the Start for Life unit are pretty flat out pulling together proposals for funding to support our Vision.  

A particular highlight for me in recent weeks has been launching my first podcast! The 1001 Critical Days podcast features stories in their own words from parents and carers who gave birth during lockdown, and also discusses the science, psychology and experiences of the early years with professionals, academics and volunteers from the sector. 

I have interviewed a range of individuals for the podcast, including Mario and Amy Creatura, who became new parents in lockdown, Penny Mordaunt and Jo Churchill as sponsoring Ministers, Lord David Blunkett, Robin Balbernie, Psychotherapist, Cristina Adone, Head of Family Policy at the Centre for Social Justice and my own Mum who as a Midwife and trauma therapist herself got me into all this! New episodes are released every Wednesday, and if you haven’t already done so, please listen and subscribe here.

If you have a recommendation for a future guest then please let me know.

I will continue to provide updates on our work on my website and on my social media channels. If you have a specific question or would like further information then please email me on andrea.leadsom.mp@parliament.uk. Together we can ensure that every baby gets the best start for life.