Derbyshire families and young children to benefit from new ‘best start in life’ funding

Derbyshire County Council has approved the Derbyshire Best Start in Life Local Plan which will help families with young children across the county to flourish and grow.

The Best Start in Life Plan provides an overview of how support will be designed and delivered across the whole Early Years system over the next three years to improve the lives of children and families right from pregnancy to the end of the reception school year.

The council has been allocated £6.75 million in new Government funding to deliver the Best Start in Life programme. Specifically, this money will be used to deliver a series of measures including:

• Launching Best Start Family Hubs: The plan will see the authority rollout a network of Best Start Family Hubs that will give children and families easier, joined up access to services. By working closely with partners and professionals from different services, the Best Start Family Hubs will strengthen and join up parenting support, health and early education services and support. This will also include access to dedicated Special Educational Needs (SEND) professionals.
• Improving access to high quality early education and childcare: The funding will support the creation of more places in school-based nurseries in areas of disadvantage. Encouraging more families to use their free early education hours and enhancing high quality continuing professional development opportunities for the Derbyshire early years workforce to support them to meet the needs of all children and families will also be prioritised.
• Working in partnership to support early years children: The council will work closely with health services, schools, early years providers and community organisations to make sure that all families receive the right support at the right time.
• Increasing parental support: The programme will improve and build on opportunities for parents to support their child’s early development, recognising the crucial role they play as their children’s first educators.

In England, the Early Years Foundation Stage Profile assesses the progress of children at the end of their reception year in key areas including reading, maths, speaking, social and emotional development.

Derbyshire County Council have been set the ambitious target of increasing the percentage of children reaching expected development levels from 67% in 2025 to almost 76% by 2028, and from 47% to almost 58% for children receiving free school meals.

Derbyshire County Council Cabinet Member for Children and Families, Councillor Sam Redfern said: “This programme provides us with the once in a generation opportunity to improve the lives of young children, providing Derbyshire families with the best support from conception until the age of five.

“I’m pleased too that this will enhance the existing offer to families in the county, further increasing the support for children with SEND and helping them thrive.”

Derbyshire County Council Cabinet Member for Health and Communities, Councillor Dawn Taylor said: “The Best Start in Life programme will make a real difference to the health and wellbeing of the families within our communities.

“It will help narrow the disadvantage gap and ensure a system-wide approach for young children, delivered in a coordinated and accessible way.”

You can find more information about the national Best Start in Life programme at www.beststartinlife.gov.uk. Local details for Derbyshire will be shared as the programme develops.