Andrea Leadsom launches early inequalities review
By Rachel Lawler
The government has launched a new review into the early years, led by Andrea Leadsom. The review aims to improve support for families and set children up for 鈥渓ifelong emotional and physical wellbeing鈥.
sets out the government鈥檚 鈥渧ision鈥 for best practice across the health care system.
As part of the review, the government has promised to bring forward the digitisation of the 鈥榬ed book鈥, containing babies鈥 details and information about their growth and development, to April 2023.
The review also highlights six 鈥渁ction areas鈥 for the government including encouraging local authorities to make parents aware of local services and turning family hubs into 鈥渟tart for life鈥 services.
The government says that work towards these goals will begin 鈥渋n the coming months鈥.
Andrea Leadsom, chair of the early years healthy development review, commented: 鈥淓nsuring that every baby gets the best start for life has been my passion for more than 20 years, and I was delighted when the Prime Minister asked me to chair the Early Years Healthy Development Review last year.
鈥淲hen we started work on the review, I was clear that the needs of the baby must be at the heart of everything we do. The coronavirus pandemic has put even more pressure on already-struggling families and, just as we need to level up economic opportunity across the country, we need to level up the support and care for the very youngest.
鈥淭he six action areas will have a transformational impact on our society, and I am looking forward to the implementation phase of the review where we will continue to work closely with families and the early years sector. I am confident that delivering this vision will help millions of families to give their baby the very best start for life.鈥