Best Start in Life - Delivery plan Stoke-on-Trent

3. Provide the right support for parents so they can help their babies and young children develop, learn and nurture good relationships and attachment

Action 3.1

Increased parental confidence and improved personal, social and emotional development outcomes
Action 3.1
Action Why Who Where Improvement Aim
3.1 – Deliver DfE approved evidence-based interventions with an emphasis on supporting parents and developing an effective home learning environment. Providing parents with the necessary awareness of infant brain development, the importance of forming strong attachments in pregnancy and the perinatal period, emotional regulation, behaviour, communication and play. Best Start Service Starting in 4 primary family hub sites then extending to all sites. In schools and settings in ‘cold spots’ of the city. 80% of parents completing programmes report increased confidence. 5% increase in children achieving expected PSED levels at reception. Reduced gap in PSED between FSM and non-FSM children.

How

  1. Every family hub will offer a parenting programme delivered weekly. By when: Updated offer to commence April 2026; improved outcomes by March 2028.
  2. Face-to-face programmes complemented by online resources and digital tools. By when: Updated offer to commence April 2026; improved outcomes by March 2028.

Action 3.2

Improved access to universal and early support services
Action 3.2
Action Why Who Where Improvement Aim
3.2 – Publish a Best Start offer to help parents access the right support at the right time from pre-birth to age 5. To ensure all parents know what support is available, when and from which service. Best Start Service Physical and digital formats across the family hub network, health services and social media. Improve access to universal services and early identification of need.

How

  1. Using a visually appealing, accessible format with up-to-date local information. By when: Published by September 2026.

Action 3.3

All new parents are aware of and connected to local support services
Action 3.3
Action Why Who Where Improvement Aim
3.3 – Reinstate new birth visits to parents to promote Best Start and Healthy Babies offers. To connect new parents to Start for Life offers and identify early need. Best Start Service; Community Midwifery; 0–19 Health Visiting All new parents prioritising deprived wards and family hub cold spots. All new parents understand early development milestones and bonding.

How

  1. Home visits and delivery of Five to Thrive approach. By when: Begin April 2026.

Action 3.4

Improve positive infant relationships and early identification of need
Action 3.4
Action Why Who Where Improvement Aim
3.4 – Offer universal stay and play sessions in every family hub. Providing access to free play resources led by skilled practitioners to model high quality parent-child interactions. Positive interactions through play contribute to improved GLD. Alice Charity; Best Start Service; Thrive at Five; SALT; VCFS organisations Family Hubs, libraries, parks, markets and community venues Improve positive infant relationships.

How

  1. Hosting free sessions in every family hub promoted widely. By when: In place; continuation and expansion from April 2026 onwards.
  2. Deliver pop‑up play sessions in community venues. By when: In place; continuation and expansion from April 2026 onwards.

Action 3.5

Frontline workforce consistently delivers Five to Thrive messages
Action 3.5
Action Why Who Where Improvement Aim
3.5 – Roll out Five to Thrive training to cross‑sector frontline workforce. To ensure frontline workforce are equipped to deliver key messages to parents and contribute to improved GLD. Best Start Service Accessible venues across services 100% of early years workforce access training. Parents report increased awareness of Five to Thrive.

How

  1. Trained trainers will roll out training across all settings. By when: Commence April 2026; complete by March 2027.
  2. Promote Five to Thrive literature widely. By when: Commence April 2026; complete by March 2027.

Action 3.6

Improved early language, communication and literacy outcomes
Action 3.6
Action Why Who Where Improvement Aim
3.6 – Deliver targeted early language and communication workshops for parents of babies and toddlers. Guided sessions modelling attachment, emotion coaching and high‑quality interactions. Best Start Service; MPFT; Community Midwifery Family Hubs and Well Baby Clinics 6% increase in children achieving expected communication milestones at 2–2.5 year review.

How

  1. Co‑delivered across family hubs and homes where 1‑to‑1 support is required. By when: Begin May 2026; target improvement by March 2028.

Action 3.7

Accelerated GLD improvement in lowest performing wards
Action 3.7
Action Why Who Where Improvement Aim
3.7 – Deliver targeted evidence‑based interventions for 3‑year‑olds in wards with lowest GLD levels. To accelerate improvement in GLD by 2028. EY Quality Team; Best Start Service; EYFS specialists Identified lowest GLD wards Overall improvement in GLD in lowest ward areas.

How

  1. Co‑deliver evidence‑based interventions targeted for 3‑year‑olds. By when: By March 2028.

Action 3.8

Increase GLD by 5 percentage points in target wards
Action 3.8
Action Why Who Where Improvement Aim
3.8 – Deliver targeted evidence‑based interventions for 3‑ and 4‑year‑olds in target wards. To improve GLD in areas within 5% of the 2028 target. EY Quality Improvement Team; EYFS workforce; Best Start Service Named target wards Increase GLD by 5 percentage points.

How

  1. Co‑deliver targeted interventions within familiar settings. By when: Begin delivery April 2026.

Action 3.9

Improve parent–child communication and reduce escalation to statutory services
Action 3.9
Action Why Who Where Improvement Aim
3.9 – Targeted delivery of Video Interaction Guidance (VIG). Supports parents to respond effectively and improve PSED and communication. Best Start Service Family homes Reduce escalation to statutory services and support children remaining safely at home.

How

  1. 1‑to‑1 delivery as part of co‑ordinated support packages. By when: By March 2028.

Action 3.10

Reduce impact of parental conflict and prevent escalation
Action 3.10
Action Why Who Where Improvement Aim
3.10 – Deliver targeted delivery of Keeping Your Child in Mind and Safe Space interventions to families affected by conflict within the home. To reduce the impact of parental conflict on children’s PSED. Best Start & Family Help Service In family homes as part of a targeted outreach offer. Identify unresolved conflict early and respond effectively, preventing escalation and family breakdown.

How

  1. Deliver targeted interventions to families where conflict is identified as a presenting need at point of referral. By when: Began in 2024.

Action 3.11

Improve early speech, language and early identification of need
Action 3.11
Action Why Who Where Improvement Aim
3.11 – Deliver weekly Babbling Babies sessions for parents, babies and toddlers. Supports early language development and provides a point of access for early screening and identification. Best Start Service; VCFS organisations Family hubs and community venues Increase number of sessions across the family hub network to improve accessibility.

How

  1. In group settings. By when: Began in 2024.

Action 3.12

Improve communication and language development
Action 3.12
Action Why Who Where Improvement Aim
3.12 – Deliver weekly Read, Chat, Play sessions for parents, babies and toddlers. Designed to promote early phonics, communication and fine motor development. Best Start Service; VCFS organisations Across the family hub network Improvement in communication and language development at age 2 and 5.

How

  1. In group settings. By when: In place since 2024.

Action 3.13

Improve communication and language outcomes for targeted children
Action 3.13
Action Why Who Where Improvement Aim
3.13 – Deliver targeted SMILE (Speech, Milestones, Language & Expression) sessions. Evidence‑based play interventions supporting early communication prior to 1:1 therapy. Co‑delivered by SALT and Best Start Service Family Hubs Improved scores across the communication and language domain.

How

  1. In targeted groups (referral only). By when: By March 2028.

Action 3.14

Improve physical development outcomes
Action 3.14
Action Why Who Where Improvement Aim
3.14 – Deliver Mini‑Movers sessions focused on physical development. Supports gross motor skills and healthy lifestyles. Best Start Service; VCFS groups; commissioned services Family hubs and community venues Improved physical development scores at 2‑year check and end of EYFS.

How

  1. In group settings. By when: In progress; improvement by March 2028.

Action 3.15

Stimulate early brain development and identify emerging needs
Action 3.15
Action Why Who Where Improvement Aim
3.15 – Deliver Sensory Stars sessions for babies. Enhances cognitive, language and motor development and supports early SEND identification. Best Start Service; VCFS groups Across the family hub network Improved GLD scores at 2.5‑year check.

How

  1. 1‑to‑1 and group settings. By when: By March 2028.

Action 3.16

Improve access to positive activities and early identification of need
Action 3.16
Action Why Who Where Improvement Aim
3.16 – Host after school clubs across the family hub network for children aged 4–11. Supports emotional regulation, guided play and safe homework environments. Best Start Service Family hubs and schools Improved access to free positive activities and earlier identification of need.

How

  1. Group‑based activities for parents/carers and children. By when: Began in 2025; expansion throughout 2026.

Action 3.17

Improve parental engagement and confidence in learning
Action 3.17
Action Why Who Where Improvement Aim
3.17 – Host and promote family learning sessions across universal settings. Helps parents develop positive home learning environments and engage in education. FM programme; Stoke College; Libraries; Family Hubs; schools and EY settings Family hubs and schools Improved parental engagement and confidence in supporting children’s learning.

How

  1. Group‑based activities promoting learning through everyday family life. By when: From March 2026.

Action 3.18

Expand Thrive at Five support across additional areas
Action 3.18
Action Why Who Where Improvement Aim
3.18 – Secure Thrive at Five as strategic local partner and expand into two pilot areas. To expand successful pilot work into other target areas. Thrive at Five Exec Group; Public Health; CAFS Meir and Burslem Backbone support and coordination provided across a wider geographical footprint.

How

  1. Expand 3‑stage approach into two additional geographies. By when: From April 2026.
  2. Citywide campaigns engaging partners and parent champions. By when: From April 2026.

Action 3.19

Increase reading, literacy and engagement in families with young children
Action 3.19
Action Why Who Where Improvement Aim
3.19 – Partner with ‘Go All In’ campaign as part of the National Literacy Trust’s National Year of Reading. Reading underpins achievement across learning, language, literacy and PSED. Libraries; Family Hubs; FM Programme Lead Libraries and schools Increase take‑up of reading at home and improve literacy, PSED and GLD outcomes.

How

  1. Targeted reading, storytelling and number games campaign. By when: From January 2026.
  2. Use National Year of Reading resources for pack distribution. By when: From January 2026.
  3. Stoke 100 Reads campaign launch and promotion. By when: From January 2026.
  4. Libraries Out Loud events for World Book Day. By when: From January 2026.
  5. Summer Reading Challenge activities and promotion. By when: From January 2026.