Raise GLD to Bracknell Forest’s locally set targets of 79.3% overall and 53.9% for children eligible for FSM by 2028—exceeding the national mission—and narrow gaps for FSM and SEND groups through targeted improvement in the 3 prime areas of development.
Executive summary
Bracknell Forest’s Best Start in Life (BSIL) Plan sets out a clear, ambitious and integrated approach to making sure that every child - particularly those who are disadvantaged, have SEND, or face additional vulnerabilities - achieves strong early development from pregnancy to age 5. The plan brings together health, early education, family support and community services into a coordinated system centred around Best Start Family Hubs.
The BSIL programme directly supports the national mission to improve early years outcomes and narrow inequalities. Locally, we aim to raise the proportion of children achieving a good level of development (GLD) from 71.6% (2025) to 79.3% by 2028, and to improve outcomes for children eligible for free school meals (FSM) from 43.2% to 53.9%. These goals will be achieved through:
- evidence-based parenting and home learning interventions
- strengthened health-led prevention
- improved special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) pathways
- consistent high quality early years practice across all settings
The BSIL Plan also supports delivery of the '0 to 25 Learning Improvement Strategy 2026 to 2031, Excellence, Equity and Culture', by strengthening early language, communication and inclusion so that children are ready to learn and thrive as they progress through education.
The plan responds to our borough’s strengths - including strong early education participation, above national GLD outcomes, a high performing Child Development Centre (CDC) and established multidisciplinary working - while also addressing persistent challenges. These include gaps for FSM and SEND cohorts, rising speech and language needs, oral health concerns, and increasing complexity in the early years population.
A core focus is the development of Best Start Family Hubs, beginning with The Rowans, to provide seamless, collocated support and targeted early help. These hubs will expand parenting programmes, facilitate integrated health and early education pathways, and strengthen connectivity between universal and specialist services.
The Best Start in Life programme aligns with and enables delivery of the Families First Partnership reforms by embedding a joined‑up, preventative early years system that supports families earlier, reduces inequality, and strengthens pathways into family help where needed
A comprehensive monitoring and evaluation framework - including quarterly key performance indicators (KPIs), annual GLD tracking, entitlement take-up measures and service data - will provide ongoing assurance to the Steering Group. Robust governance arrangements, coproduction with families, and alignment with the Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA) make sure that this plan is responsive, evidence informed and grounded in local need.
Overall, the BSIL plan sets out a coherent, multiagency strategy to improve early childhood outcomes, reduce inequalities and build a resilient, high-quality early years system for Bracknell Forest.
Our vision
Bracknell Forest will deliver an integrated Best Start in Life offer from pregnancy to age 5, making sure all children - especially disadvantaged and SEND - achieve strong early development through seamless support across health, education, and family services.
This plan is aligned to and helps deliver the 0 to 25 Learning Improvement Strategy 2026 to 2031, “Excellence, Equity and Culture”, by improving early development, reducing inequality and strengthening inclusive practice from the earliest years.
Our longer-term vision for 2030 is a fully embedded, multi-agency early years system in which:
- children experience seamless support across health, education, and family services
- gaps for FSM, SEND and vulnerable groups are significantly reduced
- Best Start Family Hubs act as a universal entry point for all families, with targeted early help for those who need more
- evidence-based early years practice is embedded across all providers
Strategic objectives
Confirm at least one Best Start Family Hub site by January 2026.
Commission robustly evaluated parenting and home learning environment (HLE), including digital, for 3 to 4-year-olds from April 2026, with clear reach targets to disadvantaged families.
Embed the Healthy Child Programme (0 to 19) and the healthy babies offer within family hub pathways (speech and language, infant feeding, oral health, perinatal mental health and parent–infant relationships), to strengthen universal and targeted prevention.
Deliver earlier identification and support, smoother transitions, and improved outcomes for children on SEN support and/or Education Health and Care Plans (EHCP).
Maintain Bracknell Forest’s strong participation in funded early education and childcare — which is consistently in line with or above national averages — while making sure that continued high take-up among Families Receiving Additional Support (accessing 2-year-old funding (FRAS)) and Early Years Pupil Premium (EYPP) cohorts.
Use clear, consistent Best Start branding and naming for family hubs and the network. Publish simple ‘how to access’ information (including self-referral), and keep the local authority website and Local Offer up to date so families and professionals can find support quickly.
Provide access and signposting to continuing professional development (CPD) to make sure of consistent, high-quality practice across settings, childminders, and reception.
Operate quarterly KPIs, red, amber and green (RAG) and risk management. Co‑produce insights with families. Govern through a steering group and operational group.
Targets and success measures
By 2028:
- 79.3% of all children achieve a GLD
- 53.9% of children eligible for FSM achieve a GLD
Baseline (2025):
- 71.6% overall
- 43.2% FSM
The interim indicators for 2026 to 2027 are:
- year on year improvement in GLD overall and by decisive subgroups (FSM, SEND support, EAL, vulnerable children)
- continued high take-up of early years entitlements take-up of early education entitlements
- increased reach of evidence-based parenting and HLE programmes
- improved early identification and access to SEND support
- improved parent satisfaction and navigation of services
Local context and needs
Demographics and deprivation
Bracknell Forest is home to approximately 7,310 children under the age of 5 as of summer 2025, according to local authority and ONS population estimates. The borough’s overall population is around 130,800, with 18.5% aged under 16 and a median age of 39.8 years.
While Bracknell Forest ranks among the least deprived areas nationally, pockets of deprivation persist, particularly in specific wards and among families eligible for FSM.
The population is becoming more diverse, with 86.1% identifying as white, 7.1% Asian, 3.1% mixed, and 2.4% black backgrounds.
Health and wellbeing overview
A JSNA is currently underway. Priorities that link to the Best Start in Life programme will be embedded into future iterations to make sure of alignment with local early years objectives.
Public health data shows that Bracknell Forest children generally enjoy good health outcomes, but inequalities persist. Key issues include:
- speech and language delays in specific wards
- oral health concerns (for example, dental decay rates)
- perinatal mental health needs
- obesity and physical activity challenges
- immunisation rates are high, but pockets of lower uptake exist
Healthy Babies Pathway (pregnancy to 2)
Local needs include:
- perinatal mental health needs
- infant feeding support
- early speech, language and communication delays
Our delivery response is set out in section 9.5 (healthy babies offer), including access through universal contacts and the family hub front door, group support, and clear step-up routes to targeted and specialist help with warm handovers between partners.
The borough’s Health and Wellbeing Strategy prioritises giving all children the best start in life, supporting emotional and physical health from birth to adulthood.
Childcare sufficiency and take-up
Take up of early education in Bracknell Forest remains consistently strong across most age groups, with particularly high engagement among disadvantaged families eligible for targeted support.
The latest data shows that 81% of eligible 2-year-olds accessing the targeted FRAS entitlement are taking up a funded early education place, a level significantly above national concern about declining participation.
This strong performance among FRAS families reflects the effectiveness of local outreach and provider engagement.
Participation rates remain exceptionally high for three-year-olds (97%), with more moderate take-up among under 2s (31%), working parent 2-year-olds (49%), and 4-year-olds (50%), some of whom will already be in Reception.
While overall take up compares favourably with national figures, continued monitoring is essential, particularly as national evidence suggests working parent entitlements may risk displacing FRAS eligible children.
Bracknell Forest’s strong position provides a solid foundation for:
- targeting future capacity
- making sure of sustained access for disadvantaged cohorts
- maintaining equitable distribution of early education opportunities
Demand for flexible, full-day, year-round childcare is rising, driven by expanded entitlements and changing family work patterns. Parents express a strong preference for multi-age care solutions and extended hours. Workforce shortages and rising operational costs present ongoing challenges for providers. Read the annual Childcare Sufficiency Assessment 2025 (PDF, 495KB) for more information.
Early Years outcomes
Good level of development performance
Children in Bracknell Forest consistently achieve above national averages in the Early Years Foundation Stage Profile (EYFSP). In 2025, 71.6% of children achieved a GLD, compared to the national average of 68.3%. However, only 43.2% of children eligible for FSM achieved GLD, below the national FSM average of 51.3%, resulting in a disadvantage gap of 28.4 percentage points.
Current achievement and 2028 targets
71.6%
Overall GLD
+3.3% versus national
79.3%
Target (overall)
43.2%
FSM GLD
-8% versus national
53.9%
Target (FSM)
Number of additional children required to achieve to meet 2028 target
105
Additional children achieving
GLD to meet target (overall)
7
Additional children achieving
GLD to meet target (FSM)
Analysis shows that children not achieving GLD are often known to Early Help or Children’s Social Care, highlighting the intersection of disadvantage and vulnerability.
The proportion of children with English as an additional language (EAL) and those with SEND is rising, reflecting broader demographic trends.
Areas for development
Based on local data and stakeholder insight, Bracknell Forest’s child outcome priorities are:
- improve GLD, particularly for FSM and SEND cohorts
- strengthening outcomes in the weakest ELGs:
- managing self
- fine motor skills
- building relationships
- reduce speech, language and communication delays in specific wards
- improve oral health outcomes
- reduce inequalities linked to deprivation, ethnicity, vulnerability and adverse childhood experiences
System needs and challenges
Priority families
Our priority groups are:
- children eligible for FSM, FRAS, or EYPP
- children known to Early Help and Children’s Social Care
- children with SEND, particularly neurodevelopmental needs
- families in wards with higher levels of deprivation or poor health indicators
- families with EAL, young parents or those affected by Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)
- children achieving lower GLD
Priority places and communities
We are focusing on communities covered by The Rowans Family Hub, spanning:
- Bullbrook
- Easthampstead and Wildridings
- Harmanswater and Crown Wood
- Priestwood and Garth
- Town Centre and Parks
These areas show a combination of deprivation, lower health outcomes, or increased demand for support.
SEND and inclusion
The Child Development Centre plays a crucial role in Bracknell Forest’s early identification and assessment pathway. It is consistently recognised by families and professionals as a positive and responsive service, providing high-quality multidisciplinary assessments and early support.
To strengthen inclusion in line with national Best Start guidance, each Best Start Family Hub will have access to a Best Start Inclusion Practitioner.
The Inclusion Practitioner will help families:
- to navigate support for additional needs
- strengthen early identification and inclusive practice through hub and network activity
- provide a link between universal services, early years settings and specialist pathways (including the Child Development Centre)
The role will also support reasonable adjustments so that families of children with SEND can access hub services and evidence-based interventions equitably.
Bracknell Forest has a growing cohort of children with SEND. In January 2025, 1,654 children and young people had an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP), representing 4.3% of the 0 to 25 population, above the England average of 3.6%. The EHCP cohort has grown by 113% since 2019, outpacing national trends. Additionally, 12.5% of all pupils receive SEN Support.
Autism is the dominant primary need, and there is a significant overlap between the SEND cohort and those known to social care.
Persistent absence and deprivation are associated with higher likelihood of SEND identification. While absence rates are low, academic outcomes for SEND cohorts are mixed.
In the autumn term 2025 cohort of 0 to 5-year-olds who claimed early years entitlement funding, 120 were identified with SEND.
Of these:
- 5 children had an EHCP
- 113 were known to the CDC, of which 95 were open to the service
- 17 had claimed Special Educational Needs Inclusion funding (SENIF)
- 13 had received Disability Access Funding (DAF) and were therefore known to have a Disability Living Allowance (DLA) award
Recent inspections and improvement plans have highlighted systemic challenges, including delays in assessment, diagnosis, and access to therapies, particularly for neurodevelopmental needs. The local area partnership is committed to addressing these through robust action plans and co-production with families.
EHCP assessment requests
In Bracknell Forest there are fewer requests for assessment among children in the early years and early primary phase than across England. Across the 2023 and 2024 calendar years, more than a quarter (26%) of EHCP assessment requests in England were for children aged 4 or under, compared to just 19% of requests in Bracknell Forest.
This overrepresentation of autism as a primary need compared with England averages is seen across all age groups in the EHCP cohort. However, it is particularly stark among the early years age group. This clearly links to the concerns about referrals for autism assessments for children under 5, outlined above.
In January 2025, there were 78 children aged 5 or under with an EHCP and a primary need of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in Bracknell Forest, 63% of this EHCP age group. This is more than double the proportion of aged 5 or under EHCPs in England (31.1%) with a primary need of ASD.
Early Help Service (Best Start Family Hubs)
Our early help service offers a strong and comprehensive parenting support pathway, providing both universal and targeted interventions for parents of children from birth to 5 and continuing up to 19.
During the academic year (2024 to 2025), we delivered 32 courses across our Best Start Family Hubs - 219 parents attended. This robust foundation makes sure that our parenting offer for under 5s sets the tone for sustained parental engagement through all ages and stages of childhood.
Our universal stay‑and‑play sessions, facilitated by 0 to 5 specialists, provide high‑quality opportunities for parents and children to learn and grow together. Practitioners offer tailored support and guidance, observe children’s development appropriately and encourage families to engage with a wider range of sessions and services.
In the last year 1,625 children attended our stay and play sessions. In response to the increasing demand, we are facilitating an additional session at The BSIL hub, the Rowans from February 2026.
Our hubs also benefit from co‑located services, including health visitors, school nurses, and Child and Adolescents Mental Health Service (CAMHs) Getting Help, creating a multi‑disciplinary environment that enables families to access a range of support in one place. This integrated model strengthens our early help offer and makes sure that families receive timely, holistic support.
The Best Start Family Hub and network model, including the Best Start Family Hub front door, network sites and how families navigate support (“no wrong door”), is set out in Section 10.1. Network sites and the session timetable will be agreed through the BSIL Steering Group and Operational Group. We will strengthen access and inclusion through proactive outreach to priority families and communities, flexible delivery (including digital options where appropriate), and reasonable adjustments to enable participation for families with SEND, EAL and additional vulnerabilities.
We are committed to supporting families who have experienced adverse childhood experiences, including domestic abuse, helping parents build resilience and confidence so they can nurture their children to thrive. By empowering parents and strengthening early relationships alongside our partners, we create the conditions for children to achieve positive outcomes throughout their childhood and beyond.
Attachment based interventions
Since 2023, the council Early Years team have been delivering Five to Thrive training to support early years settings to meet the needs of children they have identified with personal, social emotional needs. This approach is not currently listed in the national parenting/HLE menu. We will therefore continue it with a clear local rationale and evaluation approach (see Section 11.4) and review it alongside local impact data and emerging national evidence expectations.
Trends seen by local stakeholders (from SEND NA)
In the early years, practitioners in settings described seeing a general increase in the number of children who required additional support. The most common area identified was speech, language and communication needs, often linked to other areas of need including personal. Social and emotional development (PSE).
Many early years education practitioners described children arriving in settings with lower levels of maturity, resilience and independence. They described a trend of children being more dependent on adults for needs, and needing more direct support with social interactions, eating, and transitions between activities. They also described the impact of the use of electronic devices and passive screen time on children’s development.
Family voice and lived experience
Recent parent surveys and engagement activities highlight the need for flexible, multi-aged, full-day childcare, and improved access to SEND support.
Families value joined-up services and early identification of needs, but report frustrations with delays and gaps in provision. The local authority continues to gather feedback through regular surveys and co-production activities to inform service planning.
In line with national guidance, we will embed lived experience and co-production throughout design, delivery and review of the Best Start Family Hub network. We will use a mix of approaches (targeted engagement with priority families, feedback loops from sessions and services, and partner insight) and will evidence how ‘you said, we did’ learning has influenced decisions.
Evidence base
This section draws on the:
- Joint Strategic Needs Assessment
- Health and Wellbeing Strategy 2022 to 2026 (PDF, 9.4MB)
- SEND Needs and Sufficiency Plans
- Childcare Sufficiency Assessment 2025 (PDF, 0.485MB)
- Early Years Foundation Stage Profile data
- public health reports
- direct feedback from families and providers
Using this data, we are now proactively identifying younger children who are:
- eligible for Families receiving additional support (FRAS) (2-year-old funding)
- eligible for Early Years Pupil Premium (EYPP)
- known to Early Help or Children’s Social Care
We are working closely with early years settings to track these children’s progress and implement evidence-based interventions, with the aim of promoting their development and closing the attainment gap.
Take up of funded education by age
| Age | Children | % of eligible children |
|---|---|---|
| Age under 2 | 624 | 31% |
| Age 2ÿ(targeted) | 137 | 80% |
| Age 2 (working Parent) | 594 | 49% |
| Age 3 | 1,360 | 97% |
| Age 4 (some 4-year-olds will be in reception) | 763 | 50% |
Source: Bracknell Forest Council internal data, DWP eligibility data and ONS – Population Estimates for Electoral Wards in England and Wales by Single Year of Age and Sex, mid-2021 and mid-2022.
There has been a significant increase in early education funding, and it will be important to continue to monitor take-up over the coming terms now the full entitlement has been rolled out.
We continue to be above the national average for take-up by FRAS. However, this is being carefully monitored as nationally there is a concern that places are being utilised by children and families eligible for the working parent funding.
Strengths and challenges
Strengths
Strengths are:
- above national average GLD performance
- high take-up of early education
- high quality early years provision
- very strong outcomes for EAL and male children
- comprehensive universal and targeted parenting offer already in place (32 courses, 219 parents)
- strong multi‑disciplinary working in Best Start Family Hubs including HV, SN and CAMHS
- collocated and integrated services already operating in hubs
- Child Development Centre provides high-quality early identification and assessment and a wide range of services for children and families
- wide range of support and CPD opportunities for Early Years practitioners.
- high percentage of children accessing developmental checks through the Healthy Child Programme
Challenges
Challenges are:
- persistent disadvantage gap for FSM and SEND cohorts
- speech and language delays and oral health concerns in specific wards
- there is limited specialist provision for under-fives, however many universal settings successfully include children with a wide range of needs
- workforce shortages and rising costs
- delays in assessment and access to therapies for SEND
- barriers to accessing flexible childcare for working families
Governance and partnerships
The Best Start in Life (BSIL) Plan is overseen through a multi-agency governance structure that provides strategic direction, operational grip and system-wide accountability. The BSIL Steering Group oversees delivery, performance, risk and learning, and makes sure of alignment with wider early help, safeguarding and education priorities.
Steering group membership includes:
- local authority
- health
- Children’s Social Care
- Early Help
- early years and childcare providers
- education sector representatives, schools, early years and community learning
- community and voluntary sector organisations
- parent and carer representatives
Formal oversight is provided through the Early Help Partnership and the Children and Young People’s Partnership, who receive regular updates on progress against the BSIL priorities and outcomes, provide challenge and support, and agree any system-wide actions required.
Where delivery issues, risks or resource implications cannot be resolved through the BSIL Steering Group, these are escalated through these partnerships for decision-making and resolution.
Reporting and assurance
Quarterly highlight report and KPI dashboard covering reach, equity of access, service activity, and progress against outcomes (including GLD and interim indicators). Baselines, data sources and responsibilities will be agreed by partners as part of the monitoring and evaluation framework, alongside an approach to improving data sharing and maintaining accurate digital information about the Best Start offer.
Escalation
Risks rated red (or risks requiring strategic decisions) are escalated to the relevant partnership meeting with recommended actions.
Alignment
BSIL delivery plans and milestones are aligned to partnership priorities (including early help, safeguarding, health and education) to make sure of joined-up commissioning and delivery.
Learning and improvement
Actions arising from performance, audit and assurance activity and lived experience feedback are tracked through the steering group and reported into the partnerships.
Priority areas and interventions (aligned to Best Start Family Hubs and Healthy Babies guidance)
This section sets out the priority areas for the Best Start in Life programme and the interventions and actions that will be delivered through the Best Start Family Hub network from 2026 to 2028.
It is designed to align with national Best Start Family Hubs and Healthy Babies guidance and to provide a clear line of sight from local needs to what we will do, who it is for, and how we will implement and ensure delivery.
9.1 Best Start Family Hub network model (hub and network sites)
Bracknell Forest will deliver a Best Start Family Hub network so families can access help early and easily through a combination of:
- a Best Start Family Hub site (with a clear front door and a defined core offer)
- a wider set of network sites (places families already go) where elements of the offer are delivered and families can be connected into the hub
This approach supports “no wrong door” access and enables support to be available in communities, not only in a single building.
The Rowans Family Hub will be the first designated Best Start Family Hub site under the Best Start in Life programme. The Rowans hub footprint covers the following wards:
• Bullbrook
• Easthampstead and Wildridings
• Harmanswater and Crown Wood
• Priestwood and Garth
• Town Centre and Parks
Alongside The Rowans, we will confirm a set of network sites (such as early years settings, community venues and health locations) where families can access parts of the Best Start offer and be actively supported to navigate the right help at the right time.
The final list of network sites, roles and session timetable will be agreed through the BSIL Steering Group and Operational Group.
Access will be through a single, simple front door (drop-in, self-referral and professional referral routes), supported by clear information on the local authority website and consistent signposting across partners. Families will be able to access support at any point (pregnancy to age 5) and be connected to universal, targeted or specialist support according to need.
9.2 Core services (pregnancy to age 5)
The Best Start Family Hub network will provide a clear core offer for all families, with additional targeted support for priority families (including FRAS/EYPP, FSM, families known to Early Help and Children’s Social Care, and families living in priority wards). The core offer will be shaped through lived experience and will be kept under review as needs and demand change.
Services will include:
- information, advice and help to navigate services, including early help pathways and signposting into specialist support when required
- parenting support (universal and targeted), including a clear pathway into evidence-based programmes
- Home Learning Environment (HLE) support including support for early language, communication and interaction, and practical support for parents to build learning into everyday routines
- stay-and-play and group-based early learning opportunities, using sessions to model high-quality interaction and identify families who may benefit from additional support
- support to access early education and childcare entitlements, with targeted outreach to sustain high take-up among FRAS/EYPP families and reduce barriers to access
- health-led prevention and development support delivered through the Healthy Child Programme pathway, including early identification of speech, language and communication needs and support for oral health
9.3 Reach, equity and proactive outreach to priority families and places
Define priority cohorts and localities
Use the plan’s priority groups and priority places (Section 6) to drive proportionate universalism (universal offer with targeted intensity where need is greatest).
Targeted outreach and engagement
Proactive engagement in priority wards and communities and with families least likely to access support (including FRAS/EYPP, FSM, SEND, families known to Early Help and Children’s Social Care, EAL and young parents).
Monitor reach and barriers
Implement routine monitoring of who is accessing what (by cohort and locality) and act on barriers (timing, transport, confidence, language, digital access, stigma).
Strengthen take-up of entitlements
Maintain high participation in early education entitlements and focus on sustaining take-up for FRAS/EYPP cohorts as the working-parent offer expands (Section 4.3 and 8.1).
9.4 Parenting and Home Learning Environment (HLE)
We will strengthen parenting and HLE support to improve early language, communication, personal and social development and school readiness, with particular focus on narrowing gaps for children eligible for FSM/FRAS/EYPP and children with SEND. Delivery will combine face-to-face and digital options to maximise reach and will align with the national evidence expectations for parenting and HLE interventions.
Reach and equity
Set and monitor reach targets for priority families and priority wards, and reduce non-attendance through proactive engagement and practical support (such as timing, transport, creche where available).
Quality and fidelity
Make sure programmes are delivered to a clear model with appropriate workforce training, supervision and ongoing quality assurance.
Inclusive practice
Adapt delivery to be accessible for families with SEND, EAL and additional vulnerabilities and make sure pathways link effectively with specialist teams.
Evaluation and learning
Use consistent measures of engagement and outcomes (including parent feedback) and review the intervention mix annually through the BSIL governance structure.
9.5 Healthy Babies offer
The Best Start Family Hub network will strengthen prevention and early intervention from pregnancy through infancy, ensuring families can access timely help that supports healthy development and reduces inequalities. The Healthy Babies offer will be delivered in close partnership with health services and will connect seamlessly into wider maternity, health visiting and early years pathways.
9.5.1 Infant feeding
- provide accessible infant feeding information and support through the hub and network sites, including clear routes to specialist support when needed
- use universal contacts and group sessions to identify families who need additional help early and reduce barriers for families least likely to seek support
- link infant feeding support with wider early years priorities (e.g., parent confidence, bonding, and health prevention).9.5 Healthy Babies offer
9.5.2 Perinatal mental health and parent–infant relationships
- strengthen early identification of perinatal mental health needs and ensure clear referral and step-up routes through health and family hub pathways
- embed an attachment-informed approach across hub activity (including stay-and-play and parenting programmes), supporting sensitive, responsive caregiving and secure relationships
- build on existing multi-disciplinary working (including co-located services such as Health Visiting and CAMHS Getting Help where available) to provide joined-up, timely support
- health-led prevention and development support delivered through the Healthy Child Programme pathway, including early identification of speech, language and communication needs
- oral health prevention activity and advice, targeting areas/communities with poorer outcomes
9.6 Children with additional needs (SEND and inclusion)
Early identification and advice
Use universal contacts and early years settings to identify emerging needs early (including speech, language and communication) and connect families to timely support.
Navigation and coordination
Provide clear information and practical support for families to understand pathways (including SEN support and, where appropriate, EHCP processes) and to reduce delays and duplication.
Workforce development
Strengthen inclusive practice through targeted training and coaching for early years providers and hub staff, aligned to local SEND priorities.
Partnership with specialist services
Utilising the new Best Start inclusion practitioners, strengthening links with the Child Development Centre and relevant specialist teams to support smoother routes into assessment and intervention.
9.7 How we will deliver (model expectations)
Connections
Strengthen referral routes and warm handovers between health, early years providers, early help and specialist services, so families experience a single joined-up system.
Relationships
Deliver services in ways that build trust and continuity, including attachment-informed practice and consistent relationships for families who need them most.
Access and inclusion
Provide welcoming, stigma-free access and targeted outreach for families least likely to engage. Make sure of reasonable adjustments for SEND and accessible provision for EAL families.
Insights
Embed lived experience and co-production in planning and review and use feedback to improve the offer over time.
Data and digital
Use data to understand reach and impact, track inequalities, and support consistent signposting (including maintaining accurate, up-to-date online information about the offer).
9.8 Delivery milestones (high level)
Our delivery milestones will be:
- confirm the first Best Start Family Hub site and initial network sites
- publish a clear ‘how to access’ offer
- agree the core offer and session timetable
- establish baseline measures for reach and engagement
These milestones will be tracked through the BSIL governance structure alongside the wider outcomes and KPIs set out in this plan.
10. Evidence-Based Interventions (EBIs) (aligned to the national parenting and HLE menu)
Bracknell Forest will prioritise interventions that are included in the national parenting and Home Learning Environment (HLE) menu (where applicable) and are suitable for our local priorities, cohorts and delivery model. Where we continue or introduce interventions that are not on the national menu, we will set out a clear rationale and an evaluation approach (including reach and outcomes) through the BSIL governance arrangements.
10.1 Parenting programmes
We will maintain and strengthen a universal and targeted parenting pathway, with final programme selection and commissioning decisions confirmed against the national menu.
Current and legacy provision includes:
- Online Togetherness (Solihull Approach) Understanding Your Child
- Time Out for Parents, including Dads, Children with additional needs, Early, Primary and Teenage years and Handling Anger in the Family
- A comprehensive Domestic Abuse offer including The VOICE programme, Recovery and DART – Domestic Abuse Recovering Together for mother and her children.
- Adult PAACE (Positive and Adverse Childhood Experiences) and Child and Young People PAACE
- Getting On Better to support parental conflict
- Triple P Family Transitions
- Universal Family and Active play sessions
Across the pathway we will set clear reach targets for priority families (including FRAS/EYPP, FSM and families known to Early Help/Children’s Social Care), monitor attendance and completion, and support delivery quality through training, supervision and fidelity/quality assurance.
10.2 Home Learning Environment (HLE) programmes
We will strengthen HLE support to improve early language and communication and to support children’s development through everyday activities at home.
Current and legacy provision includes:
- EasyPeasy (digital HLE support)
- PEEP (Learning Together)
HLE interventions will be integrated into the Best Start Family Hub network (including stay-and-play and outreach activity) and aligned with early years provider practice and workforce development, so families receive consistent messages and practical strategies across services.
10.3 Healthy Babies and health-led prevention
Some priority activity is delivered through health-led prevention pathways rather than discrete programmes. This is set out in Section 9.5 under the Healthy Babies offer and the Healthy Child Programme.
They include:
- oral health prevention and advice
- infant feeding and breastfeeding support (including routes to specialist support)
- speech, language and communication early identification and support
10.4 Non-menu interventions and local evaluation
Where an intervention is not included in the national menu (or where local delivery differs materially from the model), we will apply a clear decision framework that includes:
- evidence and rationale
- fit with local need and cohorts
- workforce requirements
- costs and sustainability
- an agreed evaluation plan (reach, engagement, outcomes and feedback)
For example, the authority currently delivers Five to Thrive training to support early years settings with children’s personal, social and emotional needs. This will continue to be reviewed alongside local impact data and national evidence expectations.
Best Start in Life action plan 2026 to 2029
This action plan is intentionally high level.
A separate operational delivery plan will set out detailed milestones, owners and timelines, and will be used to track progress and report through the Best Start in Life governance structure.
Key actions
Key actions are to:
- establish The Rowans as the first Best Start Family Hub
- develop a hub‑and‑spoke model using community venues
- make sure hubs are welcoming, inclusive and easy to access
Lead partners
Our lead partners are:
- Bracknell Forest Council health partners
- Early help VCS
DfE guidance alignment
Best Start Family Hubs and Healthy Babies – Strategic Vision and Hub Model:
- universal access with prioritisation of babies and young children
- place‑based, integrated delivery
What success looks like
Success will lead to:
- increased engagement from families in priority areas
- clear, joined‑up access to services through a single front door
Key actions
Key actions are to:
- deliver DfE‑approved, evidence‑based parenting and home learning environment interventions
- Prioritise support for families with children aged 3 to 4
- combine face‑to‑face and digital delivery
Lead partners
Our lead partners are:
- Bracknell Forest Council Family Hub teams
- commissioned providers
DfE guidance alignment
Parenting and Home Learning Environment (HLE) Menu of Interventions:
- focus on evidence‑based interventions
- contribution to 2028 good level of development (GLD) ambition
What success looks like
Success will lead to:
- improved parent confidence and home learning practices
- increased take‑up by disadvantaged families
Key actions
Key actions are to:
- strengthen early years SEND pathways building on existing processes
- improve clarity and timeliness of support for families
- embed inclusive practice across hubs and services
- recruit Best Start inclusion practitioners
Lead partners
Our lead partners are:
- Bracknell Forest Council SEND services
- CDC Health partners
- early years providers
DfE guidance alignment
Children with Additional Needs:
- inclusive Family Hub model
- early identification and joined‑up pathways
What success looks like
Success will lead to:
- earlier support for children with additional needs
- improved parent experience of SEND pathways
Key actions
Key actions are to:
- strengthen workforce development and continuing professional development (CPD)
- provide targeted quality improvement and inclusion support
- align early education improvement with Best Start in Life (BSIL) priorities
Lead partners
Our lead partners are:
- Bracknell Forest council Early Years teams
- early years providers
DfE guidance alignment
Workforce, Quality and System Enablement:
- skilled workforce supporting child development
- alignment with early education quality
What success looks like
Success will lead to:
- consistently high‑quality early years provision
- improved outcomes in priority early learning goals
Key actions
Key actions are to:
- target outreach in priority wards and communities
- improve take‑up of early education entitlements and family support
- use data to refine targeting
Lead partners
Our lead partners are:
- Bracknell Forest Council Family Hub and Early Years team
- Health and community partner
DfE guidance alignment
Reducing Inequalities and Improving Access:
- focus on disadvantaged families
- proportionate universalism
What success looks like
Success will lead to:
- narrowing gaps in good level of development (GLD) outcomes
- increased engagement from families least likely to access services
Key actions
Key actions are to:
- get strategic oversight through a multi‑agency Best Start in Life steering group
- align Best Start in Life with wider local strategies
- meet national assurance and reporting requirements
Lead partners
Our lead partners are:
- Bracknell Forest Council health partners
- Education and voluntary community sector (VCS)
DfE guidance alignment
Governance, Accountability and Assurance:
- strong local leadership
- clear partnership arrangements
What success looks like
Success will lead to:
- clear accountability and shared ownership
- strong alignment with national and local priorities
Key actions
Key actions are to:
- monitor:
- GLD outcomes
- GLD outcomes for children receiving free school meals (FSM)
- track Family Hub reach and engagement
- use feedback for continuous improvement
Lead partners
Our lead partner is the Bracknell Forest Council Best Start in Life steering Group.
DfE guidance alignment
Monitoring, Evaluation and Continuous Improvement:
- use of data and learning to improve delivery
What success looks like
Success will lead to:
- clear evidence of impact over time
- a learning system that adapts to local need