Our Best Start in Life plan sets out our approach to improve outcomes for babies, children, and families from pregnancy until school age. We're committed to becoming a truly Child-friendly Place, where every child can thrive, learn and grow.
The early years of a child's life shape their lifelong health, development, and wellbeing. Every child has potential. With the right support, every child can achieve their development goal.
In England, 68% of children reach a Good Level of Development (GLD). By 2028, we want 77% of children in Medway to achieve a GLD by the end of their reception year.
Children are less likely to meet development goals if they:
- receive free school meals
- have special educational needs
- are boys
- are summer born
- speak English as an additional language
- live in more deprived areas.
These are not about a child’s ability. They’re about the barriers around them. There are 3 areas where we can improve children’s early development:
- breastfeeding rates: supporting early nutrition and bonding
- childhood obesity: helping families develop healthy habits early
- communication skills: building foundations for learning, relationships and wellbeing.
View our Best Start in Life plan.
How we'll make a difference
Build capability
We will:
- support parents with skills, confidence and provide evidence-based parenting programmes
- strengthen the early years workforce through training in trauma informed practice, perinatal mental health and child development
- improve access to digital information for families.
Increase opportunity
We will:
- provide accessible, joined up support through Best Start Family Hubs and community venues
- take services into communities working with libraries, leisure centres, early years providers and voluntary organisations
- expand peer support and volunteering opportunities across local communities.
Making families stronger
We will:
- promote the importance of early development, school readiness and family wellbeing
- make services easy to navigate, from registration to attending sessions
- build a shared identity across the system focused on helping every child thrive.
Early help
We want to make sure families get support earlier before problems escalate. This will reduce pressure on crisis services.
Pathways from pregnancy to school
Improving early outcomes means the following services will work together:
- health visitors
- midwives
- children's centres
- early years providers
- social workers.
What success looks like
By working together, we aim to see:
- more parents accessing mental health support, parenting programmes and early years advice
- a skilled and confident workforce across all organisations
- higher take up of funded early years places and Healthy Child Programme checks
- better outcomes at the 2 to 2 and a half year development check
- more families engaging with Best Start Family Hub
- improved school readiness and reduced inequalities.
Progress will be monitored through:
- an annual needs assessment review
- quarterly activity reporting
- the Best Start in Life outcomes framework.
By bringing together parents, communities, services and partners, we'll create a Medway where every child has the best possible start in life.