Best Start in Life Plan 2026-29

Overview

Havering is pleased to share the draft Best Start in Life (BSiL) Plan 2026–29, a borough-wide strategy that sets out our collective ambition to ensure every child has the strongest possible foundations from birth through Reception. Our vision is that all children grow up safe, healthy, able to achieve their potential, and supported by a system that is integrated, responsive, and rooted in high-quality early education.

This three‑year action plan outlines how Havering will deliver the Department for Education’s (DfE) Best Start in Life strategy locally. It draws on national policy, local priorities, and - most importantly - the lived experiences of Havering’s children and families. Underpinned by a robust understanding of local need, including insights from the Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA), the plan aligns with the borough’s commitment to reducing inequalities, raising aspirations, and enabling every child - regardless of background - to flourish.

National Policy Context

The DfE’s Best Start in Life strategy is central to the government’s mission to strengthen outcomes in the earliest years. It recognises the profound impact of the first 1,001 days - from conception to age two - on children’s lifelong development, health, and educational attainment. The national strategy sets out a vision for accessible, high‑quality, and joined‑up early years services, with a focus on:

• Family Hubs – Multi‑agency, welcoming spaces offering integrated health, education, parenting, and SEND support.
• Early Identification & Intervention – Ensuring families receive timely help, particularly those at risk of disadvantage.
• Workforce Development – Strengthening the skills, confidence, and capacity of the early years, health, and social care workforce.
• Reducing Inequalities – Targeting resources to narrow gaps for disadvantaged children, those with SEND, and children from minority communities.
• Evidence-Based Practice – Embedding proven approaches while promoting continuous improvement.

The BSiL strategy also aligns with wider national priorities, including the Healthy Child Programme, SEND reforms, early language development, school readiness, and the national drive to narrow the attainment gap.

Havering’s Local Priorities

To deliver this vision, Havering’s BSiL plan focuses on three strategic priorities shaped by engagement with partners and informed by local data:

1. Better Support for Families – Strengthening early help, parent engagement, and family wellbeing.
2. More Accessible Early Education & Childcare – Addressing sufficiency, affordability, and inclusivity to increase take‑up.
3. Improving Quality in Early Years, Including Reception – Enhancing workforce development, promoting high‑quality practice, and improving transitions into school.

These priorities form a clear and ambitious roadmap for improving outcomes, reducing inequalities, and building a cohesive early years system where all partners work together to support children and families.

Why your views matter

Havering is committed to co‑production. The insights and expertise of those who work directly with children and families - schools, early years providers, health professionals, community organisations, and other education partners - are essential to ensuring the plan is both meaningful and deliverable.

We are therefore inviting you to take part in this consultation, review the draft plan, and share your views on how we can strengthen our collective approach. 

You can find the draft Best Start in Life Strategy introduction along with the draft Action Plan in the 'related' section below.

Your feedback will play a central role in shaping final actions, ensuring that the plan reflects local realities and supports a joined‑up early years offer that truly gives every child the best start in life.