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Select Committee · Health and Social Care Committee

The First 1000 Days: a renewed focus

Status: Open Opened: 21 Mar 2025 18 recommendations 8 conclusions 1 report

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 and local provision. Since then, … Show more

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Reports

1 report
Title HC No. Published Items Response
5th Report - First 1000 days: a renewed focus HC 802 22 Jan 2026 26 Responded

Recommendations & Conclusions

5 items
7 Recommendation 5th Report - First 1000 days: a renewed… Acknowledged

Potential overlap between Neighbourhood Health Centres and Family Hubs requires clear management strategy.

We welcome the Government’s intention for Neighbourhood Health Services and Neighbourhood Health Centres to work in partnership with Family Hubs. Given that both models aim to bring together health and broader support services in a “one stop shop”, it will be important that families know where to go to access … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government stated it would consider how to improve services as part of the 10 Year Health Plan, but did not provide specific information on how it will manage the potential overlap between Neighbourhood Health Centres and Family Hubs as requested.
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Department of Health and Social Care
8 Conclusion 5th Report - First 1000 days: a renewed… Acknowledged

Decimated health visitor workforce threatens government ambition for children's early life outcomes.

The Government will fail to deliver on its ambition to give every child the best start in life unless it takes urgent action to rebuild the health visitor workforce, which has been decimated over the last 10 years. (Conclusion, Paragraph 55)

Government response AI summary
The government acknowledges the concern about the health visitor workforce and explains that the 10-Year Workforce Plan, due in spring 2026, will address all relevant staff groups, including health visitors, through a clear roadmap covering recruitment, training, and retention. It also states that overall workforce …
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Department of Health and Social Care
22 Conclusion 5th Report - First 1000 days: a renewed… Acknowledged

Government lacks essential data on children's health outcomes in first 1000 days.

The Government does not have access the data it needs on children’s health outcomes during the first 1000 days. Without this data it will struggle to deliver meaningful improvements or implement a shared outcomes framework. (Conclusion, Paragraph 116) Read more

Government response AI summary
The government acknowledges the need for improved data granularity and states that work is underway to transition to record-level data reporting for community health services, which will eventually include demographic data. However, it notes there are currently no plans for further national disaggregation of waiting …
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Department of Health and Social Care
24 Conclusion 5th Report - First 1000 days: a renewed… Acknowledged

Concerns about data sharing legislation act as a barrier to effective partnership.

Throughout this inquiry we heard that concerns about the legislation around data sharing was acting as a barrier to partners working effectively together. While some local areas have developed their own systems to support effective data sharing, stakeholders were clear they needed greater central support. (Conclusion, Paragraph 123) Read more

Government response AI summary
The government acknowledges concerns regarding data sharing barriers by outlining existing information governance guidance from NHS England and detailing planned central support initiatives. These include developing a model data-sharing agreement for safeguarding data, piloting IG surgeries for professionals, and making changes to the Control of …
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Department of Health and Social Care
26 Recommendation 5th Report - First 1000 days: a renewed… Acknowledged

Support shared outcomes framework with implementation plan and clarify ministerial responsibility across departments.

The absence of a shared outcomes framework undermines accountability and hinders strategic planning across local systems. We welcome the Government’s plans to produce a shared outcomes framework. We recommend that the final framework be supported by an implementation plan that sets out how the Government will use the introduction of … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government welcomed the committee's recognition and noted the recommendation regarding implementation and accountability. They referenced the existing Local Outcomes Framework (LOF) but did not commit to an implementation plan for the final framework or clearly set out ministerial responsibilities for it.
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Department of Health and Social Care

Oral evidence sessions

4 sessions
Date Witnesses
3 Sep 2025 Ashley Dalton MP · Department of Health and Social Care, Liz Ketch · Department of Health and Social Care, Susie Owen · Department for Education View ↗
2 Jul 2025 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 View ↗
4 Jun 2025 Alison Morton · Institute of Health Visiting, Dr Christine Farquharson · Institute for Fiscal Studies, Rachel Roberts · Hull City Council, Rukshana Kapasi · Barnardos View ↗
7 May 2025 Professor Sir Michael Marmot · University College London (UCL), Rt Hon Dame Andrea Leadsom DBE · Early Years Healthy Development Review View ↗

Who gave evidence

18 witnesses
WitnessOrganisationSessions
Alison Morton · CEO Institute of Health Visiting 1
Anna Bird · Chair Disabled Children's Partnership 1
Ashley Dalton MP · Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Public… Department of Health and Social Care 1
Dr Amit Aggarwal · Executive Director Medical Affairs and Strategic Partnerships 1
Dr Christine Farquharson · Associate Director Institute for Fiscal Studies 1
Dr Claire Fuller · National Medical Director NHS England 1
Dr Doug Simkiss · Chair of the British Association for Community Pa… Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health 1
Dr Helen Skirrow · Clinical Research Fellow Department of Primary Care and Public Health, Imperial College London 1
Dr Helen Stewart · Officer for Health Improvement The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health 1
Dr Sally Payne · Professional Adviser for Children, Young People a… Royal College of Occupational Therapists 1
Jane Harris · CEO Speech and Language UK 1
Janet Cooper · Expert Adviser Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists 1
Liz Ketch · Director for Early Years, Children & Families Department of Health and Social Care 1
Professor Sir Michael Marmot · Director of the Institute of Health Equity and Pr… University College London (UCL) 1
Rachel Roberts · Strategic Lead for Early Help and Prevention, Chi… Hull City Council 1
Rt Hon Dame Andrea Leadsom DBE · Chair Early Years Healthy Development Review 1
Rukshana Kapasi · Director of Health Barnardos 1
Susie Owen · Director of Early Years, Childcare, Families and … Department for Education 1

Correspondence

3 letters
DateDirectionTitle
28 Apr 2026 — Correspondence from Minister Hodgson - First 1000 Days Response
15 Oct 2025 — Correspondence from Minister Dalton re First 1000 days evidence session
2 Jul 2025 — Correspondence from Minister Daby re the First 1000 Days