Best start in life strategy

This strategy sets out a shared ambition to improve outcomes for children aged 0–5 in East Sussex, with a strong focus on early intervention, reducing inequalities, and school readiness.

The main goal is to ensure every child has the best start in life and to increase the number of children achieving a Good Level of Development (GLD) by age 5, with a local ambition to exceed national targets.

Best start in life strategy 2026-2028 [729.8 KB] [pdf]

Key focus

The strategy recognises that:

  • early childhood experiences have a lifelong impact
  • outcomes are unequal, particularly for disadvantaged children
  • a more joined-up system is needed across services

It prioritises prevention, early identification, and targeted support.

Three main priorities

1. Better support for families

  • Expand and strengthen Family Hubs as key access points
  • Improve integration across health, education, and early help services
  • Increase focus on parental mental health, early relationships, and child development
  • Ensure earlier identification of need and improved engagement with vulnerable families

2. Making childcare and early education easier to access

  • Increase availability and uptake of early years provision
  • Target support towards disadvantaged families and underrepresented groups
  • Improve inclusion for children with SEND
  • Support flexible and wraparound childcare to meet family needs

3. Improving quality in early years (including reception)

  • Strengthen the early years workforce through training and development
  • Improve teaching quality and consistency, particularly in Reception
  • Enhance multi-agency collaboration between settings, schools, and health
  • Focus on improving outcomes in key areas such as literacy

Key challenges

  • A widening disadvantage gap in early development
  • Variability in outcomes across different areas
  • Lower attainment in literacy, especially for boys
  • Gaps in access to services for some vulnerable groups

How the plan will work

The strategy will be delivered through:

  • Partnership working across services and sectors
  • A strong data and monitoring framework to track progress
  • Co-production with families to shape services
  • A focus on evidence-based practice and continuous improvement

What success will look like

  • Increased GLD attainment at age 5
  • Reduced inequalities in early outcomes
  • Improved family engagement and confidence
  • Greater access to high-quality early education and support