Best Start Family Hubs and the expansion of childcare provision present a valuable opportunity to engage with families earlier and identify SEND needs at the earliest possible stage. We welcome the announcement that every Best Start Family Hub will have a SENCO. However, SEND awareness is not currently sufficiently embedded amongst all early years staff, nor are there currently sufficient opportunities for early screenings that could facilitate timely support and referrals. We note the curren...

Best Start Family Hubs and the expansion of childcare provision present a valuable opportunity to engage with families earlier and identify SEND needs at the earliest possible stage. We welcome the announcement that every Best Start Family Hub will have a SENCO. However, SEND awareness is not currently sufficiently embedded amongst all early years staff, nor are there currently sufficient opportunities for early screenings that could facilitate timely support and referrals. We note the current inquiry at the time of publication of the Health Social Care Committee on ‘The First 1000 Days: a renewed focus’ and the further work we have agreed to Type: conclusion | Number: 38 | Response status: not_addressed Government response: We are making changes to improve the system for children with SEND already. The Best Start in Life strategy means a stronger focus on early identification, inclusive access to early years education, and tailored family support. We are doing this by: • making incl