Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government what cross-departmental discussions have taken place on adopting a joined-up approach to evidence-based parenting support; and on the merits of ensuring that the Best Start in Life Strategy is driven by evidence-based parenting programmes.

Best Start Family Hubs are key to our vision of joined-up services in the community, bringing together professionals from health and education, working with nurseries, childminders, schools, health services, libraries and local voluntary and community groups.

The department has confirmed over £500 million of funding allocated for the delivery of Best Start Family Hubs, parenting programmes and home learning environment support.

Through Best Start Family Hubs, all local authorities will deliver evidence-based interventions for families with 3 to 4 year-olds from April 2026. The department will be sharing a list of evidence-based interventions that have been developed in collaboration with expert partners and informed by sources such as the Foundations Guidebook and Nesta’s call for evidence. The list will favour evidence-based interventions that have undergone the most rigorous evaluation to reflect our ambition to support local authorities in investing in programmes most likely to have the greatest impact.