Best Start in Life Plan 2026 to 2031
What the evidence tells us
Why the first five years matter
The first five years of a child's life are incredibly important. What children experience during this time, and the support their families receive, shapes their learning, their confidence, their health and their future. Over recent years, a growing body of evidence has shown just how much early experiences affect children's development, their wellbeing and even their long-term life chances.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) (2018) reminds us that the period from pregnancy to age three is particularly important, as a baby's brain grows faster at this time than at any other stage. By age three, around 80% of the brain has already formed. This makes the early years a window of opportunity to build strong foundations for a child's lifelong health and wellbeing.
How children grow and learn
Children are born ready to learn, but they need the right environment and supportive relationships to help them reach their potential. From the very beginning, babies learn through the everyday interactions they have with the people who care for them, such as being talked to, played with, cuddled, listened to and loved.
By just six months, babies can recognise sounds and start to link them with objects and ideas. But to turn these sounds into language, they need people around them who talk, read, sing and play. These small, everyday moments help babies understand the world, feel safe and start building relationships that support their emotional wellbeing and learning.
As children grow, attending high-quality early education also helps prepare them for school and gives them skills that last well into primary school and beyond.
Why early support matters
We know that if a child falls behind in the early years, it can be harder for them to catch up later. Small gaps in learning, communication and development can become bigger over time and may affect their confidence and the opportunities they have as they grow. This is why early support for children and families is so important. When concerns are spotted early and families receive the right help at the right time, many children catch up quickly with their peers and continue to thrive.
