The First 1000 Days: a renewed focus

Health and Social Care Committee Open Inquiry
Opened: 21 Mar 2025 Parliament page
The first 1000 days of life, from conception to age two, are widely recognised as a critical period for child development, shaping long-term health, well-being, and life outcomes.The previous Committee examined this period in its 2019 First 1000 days of life inquiryconsidering national strategy, current spending and barriers to investment … Read more
18 Recommendations
8 Conclusions
1 Report
4 Oral sessions
3 Letters
4 Events
Activity timeline 9 events
28 Apr
2026
Correspondence
22 Apr
2026
Report published
22 Jan
2026
Report published
15 Oct
2025
Correspondence
3 Sep
2025
Oral evidence
2 Jul
2025
Oral evidence
2 Jul
2025
Correspondence
4 Jun
2025
Oral evidence
7 May
2025
Oral evidence
Oral evidence sessions 4 sessions
3 Sep 2025
View on parliament.uk
Oral Evidence
Ashley Dalton MP · Department of Health and Social Care Liz Ketch · Department of Health and Social Care Susie Owen · Department for Education
2 Jul 2025
View on parliament.uk
Oral Evidence
Anna Bird · Disabled Children's Partnership Dr Amit Aggarwal · Medical Affairs and Strategic Partnerships Dr Claire Fuller · NHS England Dr Doug Simkiss · Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health Dr Helen Skirrow · Department of Primary Care and Public Health, Imperial College London Dr Helen Stewart · The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health Dr Sally Payne · Royal College of Occupational Therapists Jane Harris · Speech and Language UK Janet Cooper · Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists
4 Jun 2025
View on parliament.uk
Oral Evidence
Alison Morton · Institute of Health Visiting Dr Christine Farquharson · Institute for Fiscal Studies Rachel Roberts · Hull City Council Rukshana Kapasi · Barnardos
7 May 2025
View on parliament.uk
Oral Evidence
Professor Sir Michael Marmot · University College London (UCL) Rt Hon Dame Andrea Leadsom DBE · Early Years Healthy Development Review
Title HC No. Published Items Response
5th Report - First 1000 days: a renewed focus HC 802 22 Jan 2026 26 Responded
Recommendations & Conclusions
6 results
Clear
1 Conclusion Not Addressed
5th Report - First 1000 days: a re…
Family Hubs funding remains significantly below Sure Start levels despite broader remit.
We welcome the additional funding that the Government has announced for Family Hubs and its plans to open a Hub in every local authority. This is a positive step in increasing the support available to families during the critical first … Read more
Government Response
The government's response outlines that guidance has been published defining Best Start Family Hubs, their location and branding, and how local plans should be developed, without directly addressing the Committee's concerns about funding levels being below Sure Start or the broader age range of children served.
Department of Health and Social Care
View details
4 Conclusion Not Addressed
5th Report - First 1000 days: a re…
Perinatal mental health investment remains insufficient and geographically limited to address needs.
Perinatal mental health is as important as physical health, with poor mental health outcomes having potentially significant long-term consequences for both the mother and child. We were struck by how frequently mental health concerns were raised in evidence. Given that … Read more
Government Response
The government's response details the universal offer of Best Start Family Hubs, including support for socio-emotional and language development, co-location of health professionals, and community outreach. However, it does not address the committee's specific concern about the limited scope of the £54m investment for perinatal mental health being restricted to only 75 local authority areas.
Department of Health and Social Care
View details
6 Recommendation Not Addressed
5th Report - First 1000 days: a re…
Revise early language funding guidance to cover 0-2 year olds with maximum provider flexibility.
We recommend that the Department for Education revise its guidance on early language and home learning environment funding to allow it to be used to provide support that covers the 0–2-year period, to allow providers the maximum flexibility in how … Read more
Government Response
The government's response discusses health visiting services and local authority performance improvement, including peer reviews and improvement support, which does not address the recommendation to revise Department for Education guidance on early language and home learning environment funding for 0-2 year olds.
Department of Health and Social Care
View details
11 Recommendation Not Addressed
5th Report - First 1000 days: a re…
Government's health visit ambitions are inadequate compared to other UK nations' provision.
The Government’s ambitions for the number of health visits are woefully inadequate. Children in England receive fewer mandated health visits than children in any other part of the UK. While the Government’s immediate priority must be supporting and growing the … Read more
Government Response
The government's response discusses improving childhood vaccination rates, which does not address the recommendation to increase the number of health visits to a level comparable to other parts of the UK.
Department of Health and Social Care
View details
13 Conclusion Not Addressed
5th Report - First 1000 days: a re…
Significant shortages across children's health workforce are impacting care delivery and patient safety.
Throughout this inquiry we heard that the children’s health workforce is being stretched to breaking point. There are significant shortages across multiple disciplines which prevent professionals from delivering the care young children and their families need and that, in some … Read more
Government Response
The government's response discusses the publication of demographic data within the waiting list minimum data set (WLMDS) and future data granularity, which does not address the committee's conclusion about the children's health workforce being stretched and experiencing significant shortages.
Department of Health and Social Care
View details
15 Recommendation Not Addressed
5th Report - First 1000 days: a re…
Set plans to support non-NHS children's health professionals and review multidisciplinary team guidance.
Many professions which play a key role in delivering children’s health care are not entirely or primarily employed by the NHS. We recommend the Government sets out how it plans to support those professions in non- NHS settings, particularly allied … Read more
Government Response
The government's response focuses on a shared outcomes framework and cross-departmental working for early years, but does not address the recommendation to set out a plan for supporting non-NHS health professions or reviewing guidance on multidisciplinary teams.
Department of Health and Social Care
View details
Government Response AI assessment · 26 of 18 classified
Accepted 6
Accepted in Part 4
Acknowledged 5
Deferred 2
Not Addressed 6
Rejected 3
Total 18 recs + 8 conclusions
Correspondence 3 letters
28 Apr 2026 Correspondence from Minister Hodgson - First 1000 Days Response
Parliament page
15 Oct 2025 Correspondence from Minister Dalton re First 1000 days evidence session
Parliament page
2 Jul 2025 Correspondence from Minister Daby re the First 1000 Days
Parliament page