In Birmingham, want every child to have the best possible start in life.

The Best Start in Life Strategy sets out how we will work together to support babies and young children from pregnancy through to age 5, so they are safe, healthy, included, confident, and ready to learn.

The strategy has been developed with the Centre for Research in Early Childhood (CREC) and shaped through engagement with:

• parents, carers, and community representatives
• early years and childcare providers and professionals
• health and family support services
• operational and strategic leaders across early years, education, health, and social care

The strategy brings together services that support children and families, including:

• early years settings
• health services
• family hubs
• community partners

These services will work around a shared vision that children thrive and are safe, healthy, included, confident, and achieving.

The strategy focuses on:

• improving early development
• reducing inequalities
• making sure families can access the right support at the right time

Action based

The Best Start in Life Strategy is an action‑focused document. It will guide how services work together to:

• support children’s development from the very earliest stages
• improve access to high‑quality early education and childcare
• strengthen joined‑up support for families
• help children be ready for school and future learning

The Best Start in Life Action Plan turns the strategy into a programme of practical actions for the next five years.

It outlines the priority workstreams, key objectives, and measures that will guide and monitor delivery across Birmingham.

Working together for Birmingham’s children

Giving children the Best Start in Life is a shared responsibility. We will continue to work with partners, providers and communities to put the strategy into action and improve outcomes for children and families across the city.

Feedback and continuous improvement

We are committed to openness, collaboration, and continuous improvement. We will make sure that engagement leads to meaningful change.

We will update these pages to show how:

• feedback influences decisions, priorities, and actions
• voices across Birmingham are helping to make a real difference