�°������ϲʹ�������

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 “lifelong emotional and physical wellbeing”.

sets out the government’s “vision” for best practice across the health care system.

As part of the review, the government has promised to bring forward the digitisation of the ‘red book’, containing babies’ details and information about their growth and development, to April 2023.

The review also highlights six “action areas” for the government including encouraging local authorities to make parents aware of local services and turning family hubs into “start for life” services.

The government says that work towards these goals will begin “in the coming months”.

Andrea Leadsom, chair of the early years healthy development review, commented: “Ensuring 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.

“When 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.

“The 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.”