A support programme for babies and their families in England must have a guaranteed minimum level of long-term funding, a watchdogs’ review has said.
The Start for Life programme offers services including health visits, parenting courses, infant feeding, and speech and language support.
But local authority leaders have reported “multiple challenges” with using short-term funding and have raised concerns they might have to cut much-needed services because of the inability to plan for the longer term, a joint review said.
Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission (CQC) reviewed how the programme, which had its funding announced in October 2021, is working in six local areas.
Among their recommendations, they said the Government should “commit to a minimum level of long-term funding for this programme nationally”, allowing local areas “to establish services and help to build parents’ trust in Start for Life provision”.
They added: “It would also allow time to gather evidence and ensure that properly trained staff are retained.”
Their review found local area leaders felt…
