Our Best Start Local Plan 2026-29

Develop and improve take-up of targeted and evidence-based interventions for families requiring additional support

Why is this important? 

• early, targeted intervention for families requiring additional support will maximise the opportunity to improve child outcomes and reduce the need for more specialist intervention later in the life stage
• parents/carers are effectively supported to improve their own wellbeing and to strengthen their health literacy, enabling them to understand and meet their child's developmental needs

Our progress in the last 12 to 24 months: 

• delivered evidence-based parenting interventions, including Triple P Baby, Family Nurture, Incredible Years Babies and evidence-based home learning environment interventions - Early Words Together, First Words Together, Incredible Years Autism and Language Delay
• introduced 'Launchpad for Literacy' from Summer 2025 - training 24 schools, 7 PVI providers and 2 childminders - with a focus on implementing key skills strands
• the 'Early Language Belong Pathway' has been developed with Virtual School and Educational Psychology Service - extra support for those care-experienced children, aged 0-5 years
• a comprehensive Family Nurse Partnership offer is in place, including the 'Brighter Futures' group hosted at our Best Start Family Hubs
• developed a pop-up Family Hub in conjunction with the Labriut charity to support families with young children in our large Orthodox Jewish Community
• broadened access to the (Children's Foundation) Baby Box scheme - this provides useful baby kit and developmental resources for parents requiring extra support
• Trusting Hands clinical consultations for social care practitioners supporting the communication needs of children in our care and those in kinship care or fostering arrangements
• Gateshead Council have delivered the national (DfE) Family Network Pilot to support families to develop informal support networks
• Our Growing Healthy Gateshead 0-19 offer has been expanded to include three additional, universal face-to-face contacts alongside the mandated Healthy Child Programme. A 'Great Start in Life Programme' is being developed to help families requiring extra support
• family work coaches from DWP are seconded into the Early Help Service to provide specialist support to families managing a low income - DWP Coaches work from Family Hubs

We will drive progress towards improved Best Start and GLD outcomes by: 

• Introducing a targeted teaching intervention in up to 10 Reception settings with a high profile of Free School Meal eligibility.
• Introducing a monthly, multi-agency community event in our Family Hubs to promote the full range of SEND support available.
• Introducing the Summer Mini Reading Challenge for pre-school children through Gateshead Libraries and provide resources for 500 children.
• Developing the Pre-Birth Team Model, including a graduated offer of support, for families with a history of social care intervention.
• Providing more personalised advice, mentoring and peer support opportunities for teenage parents through our Hub and commissioned VCS providers.
• Developing a short training or e-learning module for the children's social care workforce on signposting local support to improve child development outcomes to promote an "everyone's business" approach.
• Further implementation of the Launch Pad for Literacy programme across settings.
• Expanding the Baby Box scheme and reviewing eligibility to allow more discretionary allocation of the resources based on presenting needs.
• Developing the role of the Family Help Lead Practitioner as part of the Families First social care reforms, including locality deployment.
• Co-ordinating communication campaigns to increase awareness of the Early Years Pupil Premium.

We will measure this by: 

• Early Years Foundation Stage Profile (EYFSP) data
• Gateshead Early Help System Dashboard
• early years service reporting on Launchpad for Literacy
• baby box distribution figures and qualitative family feedback
• qualitative feedback from families

Test and learn: targeted teaching intervention

We will work with 10 schools with nursery provisions and the highest FSM eligibility to provide a targeted, evidence-based programme to develop the Language/Speaking and Literacy capacity of Learners to meet the GLD standard. Interventions will be delivered by the Local Authority High Incidence Needs Team (HINT) practitioner and Teaching Assistant over 39 weeks per academic year. Modelling has been developed to show how targeting settings with high FSM eligibility can maximise GLD achievement for this cohort.

Test and learn: launchpad for literacy

Teaching and Learning Consultants and 0-5 Area SENDCo have started to implement the Launchpad to Literacy programme following receipt of NECA funding. Settings are able to access free training and support materials with a focus on improving communication, language and literacy. The programme can provide strategies to support children on the waiting list for speech and language intervention.