Review and adaptation of the Best Start in Life strategy

The success of the Best Start in Life action plan will be measured using the indicators listed below:

Nationally reported indicators (Local Government Outcomes Framework)

The indicators include:

• percentage of children achieving a good level of development at age 5
• percentage achieving a good level of development at the 2 to 2.5 year review
• percentage of 5 year old's with experience of visually obvious dental decay
• take-up rate of the 2 year old disadvantage childcare offer
• take-up rate of the 3 and 4 year old 15 hours childcare offer
• Best Start Family Hubs indicators (to be confirmed)

Continuous improvement across the strategy

To ensure the strategy remains responsive to community needs and local priorities, we will embed a continuous improvement cycle.

Regular performance reviews
Quarterly updates from action plan leads to highlight achievements, risks and support needs
Annual analysis of key indicators in March 2026, March 2027, March 2028 and August 2028

Feedback from families and practitioners
Ongoing insights from Parent and Carer Champions through Family Hubs and from seldom heard groups
Targeted engagement to understand what is working well and where changes are needed

Learning from pilots and innovation
Learning from local test and learn activity to inform decisions about scaling, adapting or discontinuing new approaches
Sharing findings across partners to strengthen practice

Each year, we will update actions, re‑prioritise resources and respond to emerging needs to ensure that the strategy remains evidence‑led and focused on improving outcomes for families.