A NEW report aimed at giving youngsters in Barnsley the best start in life has been published - with project plans anticipated to be funded by a £1.6m grant for the next three years.
In July 2025 as part of their Plan for Change, the government set out their mission to give every child the best start in life.
This being with the aim of by 2028 a record proportion - 75 per cent - of children to reach a good level of development (GLD) by the end of reception.
That’s up from around 68 per cent today, meaning 40,000 to 45,000 more children nationally each year will be better prepared for school and life.
The Best Start in Life Strategy is a national initiative aimed at ensuring that every child has the opportunity to thrive from the earliest stages of life.
The strategy focuses on providing a strong foundation through high-quality early education, health, and family support services.
Barnsley Council has been granted funding worth £1.637m for 2026/27, £1.569m for 2027/28 and £1.601m for 2028/29.
The Best Start Family Hubs will receive more than £1m of that funding.
A report states: “We have aimed to meet the requirement to develop an ambitious local plan that supports children to achieve their full potential and increases the numbers of children reaching a good level of development at the end of reception by delivering a comprehensive local Best Start system.
“It sets out our vision for Barnsley to be a place where every child has the opportunity to grow, play, learn and thrive, regardless of background or circumstance.
“The funding will be utilised to design, deliver and embed services to achieve the Best Start in Life Local Plan strategic objectives, and ultimately improve outcomes that meet the needs of Barnsley’s children and families.
“Spending plans are being developed and will be subject to the council’s usual governance processes.”
According to the report, there are currently just over 12,500 children in Barnsley aged up to four.
As part of the project, the council are aiming to improve a number of statistics and give youngsters the best start in life.
The report states that in 2022, there were 82 conceptions for under 18s and 30.2 per cent of five year olds in the town were showing signs of dental decay in 2023/24.
The report added: “Barnsley stands at a pivotal moment.
“By embracing an ambitious, collaborative approach, we can transform outcomes for our youngest residents: let us work together to give every child the best possible start in life, laying the
foundations for Barnsley for generations to come by enabling our youngest residents to grow, play, learn and thrive.”
