Delivered online using Teams
10am - 12pm Wednesday, 25 March 2026
Embedding voice in early years system transformation: Practical approaches for Best Start Family Hubs
The Best Start Family Hubs (BSFHs) programme aims to create a more integrated, accessible system of support for families across the country. BSFHs will offer welcoming, inclusive, environments where every family feels valued and confident to ask for support. By embedding support at the heart of communities, BSFHs bring together health, education, and social care to deliver joined-up support during the critical window for cognitive and emotional development.
As local authorities plan and design BSFHs, there is an opportunity to integrate voice into system design in a meaningful way. Drawing on principles from the Framework for Ethical and Effective Information Use, participants will have the opportunity to reflect upon how meaningfully integrating voice into system design is the foundation for building inclusive, responsive, and impactful early years services. With a specific focus on the early years, we will discuss the vital importance of designing systems that respond to the lived experience of the youngest children—where voice is uniquely communicated through development, attachment, and behaviour.
The aim of the session is to:
- reflect upon the importance of voice in transformation with a focus on the Best Start Family Hubs programme
- spotlight case studies from local areas
- focus on practical strategies and real-world examples for meaningfully engaging children, young people, and families in system transformations, ensuring that voice is central to redesign and delivery—not just quantitative data
Target Audience:
- Local authority leaders and practitioners
- Community partners
- Policy makers involved in Families First and related transformations
