Are England’s youngest children getting the best possible start? Or are too many beginning school already behind?

One of the government’s five ‘missions’ is to break down barriers to opportunity by tackling inequalities in early childhood. Its ‘Best Start in Life’ strategy aims for 75% of children to reach a ‘good level of development’ by age five - but with only 68% meeting that bar today, how ambitious is that goal, and what will it take to get there?

In this episode of IFS Zooms In, Helen Miller is joined by Christine Farquharson (Associate Director, IFS) and Carey Oppenheim (Nuffield Foundation) to discuss:

• Why the early years matter for long-term outcomes
• The role of childcare, parenting and home environment
• What the evidence says works to close development gaps
• How government policy can (and can’t) deliver change

📩 We want your questions for our final Q&A episode! Send them – voice notes welcome – to podcasts@ifs.org.uk or comment on the episode.

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