At Early Years Reviews, we welcome the government’s renewed attention on the early years through the “Giving Every Child the Best Start in Life” strategy. The investment in Family Hubs and the commitment to the Early Years Stronger Practice Hubs represent promising steps toward creating more integrated and supportive systems for children and families. These developments recognise that strong relationships and collaboration across services are vital for child development, wellbeing, and family support. We also acknowledge the effort to bring together multiple departments and agencies under a shared ambition, improving outcomes and reducing inequalities for babies and young children. (Are we seeing an Every Child Matters Movement again, lets hope so). This is a valuable opportunity to reframe how early childhood is supported and understood at national level. However, we believe that to truly give every child the best start, the strategy must go further in centring children’s lived experiences, championing developmentally appropriate practice, and embedding a relational, play-based pedagogy at its heart. Drawing on our work across the sector, through Play Matters (Bradbury, A., Wright, D., Boardman, K., Thompson, P., Jarvis, P., Cowley, S., Veale, V., Wayne, D., Swailes, R., Scollan, A., Grimmer, T., & Renshaw, K. (2025), the book Starting Strong (Bradbury, 2025) and the Love and Nurture / Child in the Now model (Grimmer and Bradbury, 2024) we respectfully offer the following reflections and recommendations. Where the Strategy Could Go Further 1. Play is Underrepresented: Despite decades of research affirming the developmental importance of play, it is mentioned only once in the strategy, and not in the context of pedagogy. This absence is striking. Through Play Matters, we have consistently championed play not as a ‘nice to have’ but as the core of how young children learn, relate, and develop a sense of self. If we are serious about giving children the best start, we must prioritise play as a right, a method of learning, and a route to wellbeing. 2. Readiness is Still Narrowly Defined: The strategy’s focus on “school readiness” is largely framed through future outcomes and academic measures. Our publication Starting Strong reimagines this concept, calling for a readiness that is child-led, co-constructed, and rooted in responsive relationships. Readiness should not be seen as a finish line to reach, but as an evolving journey that unfolds in safe, nurturing environments. You can get a copy of this book here https://www.early-years-reviews.com/copy-of-publications 3. Love and Nurture are Missing: We are concerned by the absence of language around emotional wellbeing, attachment, or nurture. Children need more than access to services, they need to feel seen, safe, and loved. The Love and Nurture framework and the Child in the Now model position relational pedagogy at the heart of effective practice. When we prioritise relationships, we lay the foundations for lifelong learning and mental health. Our Call to Action Champion Play as a Core Principle Play must be visible in policy. We call on government to embed play into the foundations of the strategy, not as an add-on, but as a central driver of learning and development. Reframe School Readiness Let’s move away from a deficit model that prepares children for school, and instead build environments that are ready for children, recognising them as competent, curious, and unique learners. Embed Love and Nurture in Every Interaction. Children thrive in loving, emotionally attuned relationships. Policy must reflect what practitioners know: that love is a pedagogical act, and nurture is a strategy, not a sentiment. Work with the Sector to Co-Construct Change. Practitioners, children, and families must have a say in shaping the systems that affect them. We call for deeper dialogue between government and the profession to ensure that the strategy reflects real experiences on the ground not just those who have been around the table. At Early Years Reviews, we stand with the thousands of early years professionals across the UK who work every day to champion children’s rights, support families, and protect the joy of childhood. This strategy offers a valuable starting point, we know it won’t have everything in it and we know some might be upset and some who are overjoyed, but we believe more can and must be done to build a system that is relational, playful, and centred on the unique needs of every child. But we have to start somewhere and we believe that this strategy is the beginning of government listening in some aspects on what children need. Let’s move forward together, with love, with purpose, and with the child in the now. Aaron Bradbury Early Years Reviews