This project will provide resources, guidance and opportunities for connection to support local authorities with their strategic planning, leading to high-quality, deliverable plans that maximise the impact for children’s development and close inequality gaps.

The government’s Best Start in Life strategy sets out plans to achieve the opportunity mission milestone of 75% of five-year-olds reaching a good level of development in the Early Years Foundation Stage assessment by 2028. The government is now asking every local authority in England to develop their plans to implement this strategy by March 2026. Plans will include better support for families, more accessible early education and childcare, and improved quality in early years (including reception). 

Nesta is supporting local authorities in the development of these plans to help make them ambitious and credible, so that more children can benefit from high-quality support and reach a good level of development. The work is part of our mission to give every child the same chance of developing to their full potential in the early years.

We are currently developing our support packages and will adapt our approach as we gather further feedback from local authorities, partner organisations and others working in the sector. We aim to be highly collaborative, contributing to others’ efforts in this space and bringing the sector together around this challenge. Our initial plans are outlined below, but may change significantly as we test, learn and adapt according to feedback.

Our approach is designed to support local authorities through three stages of the strategy process: 

1. Diagnosis: We aim to provide a data dashboard and interpretation guidance to help local authorities quickly establish their current state and identify specific groups that need focused support.
2. Strategic planning: We will offer a framework and evidence insights (including the PaSCAL tool), to help local authorities to develop a plan that is data- and evidence-informed.
3. Monitoring: We provide guidance and templates for establishing interim measures and integrating 'test and learn' approaches to support continuous improvement during strategy delivery.

Given variation in local authority needs we are scoping: 

1. a national offer of resources and engagements for all 152 local authorities
2. intensive assistance for a smaller number of local authorities. 

If you would like to help shape this project, see an opportunity to collaborate, or if you work in a local authority that would benefit from Nesta’s support, please contact us.