At the National Children’s Bureau, we understand how vital it is to ensure every child has the best start in life. We therefore welcomed the publication of the Government’s Best Start in Life Strategy in July as an important step towards improving outcomes for babies and young children.
With renewed government focus and the Prime Minister’s personal interest in the agenda, this is a pivotal moment for the early years, and a key opportunity to shape lasting change.
In May 2025, we hosted the From Conception to Reception summit, bringing together around 100 senior representatives from across the early years sector to help shape a shared vision.
Drawing on these sector insights, alongside learning from long-term programmes such as the Lambeth Early Action Partnership (LEAP) and A Better Start, we have published two new papers:
- A Shared Vision from Conception to Reception - a summary of the key themes and challenges raised at the summit.
- From Policy to Implementation: How to deliver on the ambitions of the Best Start in Life strategy - NCB’s recommendations for translating policy into practice.
You can read more about NCB’s early years work here.