READING Borough Council has laid out a new strategy aimed at giving children across the town the ‘best start in life’.
The Best in Life Strategy focuses on first 1,001 days of a child’s life, which are vital to development, growth, and learning.
The strategy was developed alongside voluntary groups, public services, local families and communities, combining midwifery, health visiting, early years, libraries and culture, family support, and mental health.
It also includes provisions for those with neurodivergence, special educational needs and disabilities, and other care requirements.
It signposts to a wide range of support including help with housing, debt advice, cooking skills, guidance around substance and alcohol dependency, support for mums and dads-to-be, and much more.
A consultation outlined five key areas which the strategy will focus on, which include strengthening perinatal and early health support, as well as earlier identification of neurodivergance and special educational needs.
It will also focus on stronger home learning and early language support through outreach to families who face the greatest challenges, as well as better early years provision and workforce development.
Elsewhere it seeks to consolidate family Hubs as inclusive, local, place-based accessible support; and stronger partnerships in health visiting and school nursing.
As part of the strategy, Reading’s children and young people developed a vision statement that describes the wider Council vision – “Your voices will be heard, and you will be supported to prepare for the future, reach your full potential and become the best person you can be.”
Cllr Wendy Griffith, Lead Councillor for Children, said: “We are incredibly proud of this strategy which reflects our ambition as a town to give all our children the best start in life.
“Our approach to early years support is built on being respectful, inclusive, family-centred, trauma-informed, accessible and welcoming, and the strategy brings these principles to life.
“We want this to provide a foundation for integrated neighbourhood support throughout our communities’ lifetimes, so that every child in Reading has equal access to good quality support and help, in the right place, and at the right time.”
Cllr Rachel Eden, Lead Councillor for Education and Public Health, said: “The first 1,001 days of a child’s life, from conception to age two, are critical to learning, wellbeing and future outcomes. For this reason, we recognise that investing in babies, young children and families creates lasting benefits across education, health and society.
“This strategy, developed in response to the Government’s Best Start in Life policy, will bring our town together to improve outcomes from the earliest moments of life.
“Our strategy is ambitious, but our children deserve nothing less.”
