Brent Council is set to enhance its focus on children's health and the crucial early years of life, with a commitment to the Best Start in Life
initiative. This initiative aims to ensure that all children in Brent have the best possible start, encompassing the first thousand days of life and beyond, with a broader approach to early childhood development and well-being.
During a recent Health and Wellbeing Board meeting on Thursday, July 30, 2026, councillors discussed a range of future agenda items, with a particular emphasis placed on the health and development of young children. This focus aligns with the council's broader strategy to improve health outcomes and reduce inequalities across the borough. The discussions highlighted the importance of addressing child poverty and exploring interventions that can provide a strong foundation for life.
Councillor Jake Rubin, Cabinet Member for Children's Services, Employment & Climate Action, proposed that a dedicated focus on children's health, including the first thousand days, child poverty, and interventions related to the Best Start in Life
initiative, be a key item for future board discussions. This suggestion was met with agreement, underscoring the council's commitment to this vital area. The Brent Children's Trust has identified Best Start in Life
as a priority for the next two years, with an action plan to be developed.
The Best Start in Life
initiative is intrinsically linked to addressing health inequalities, particularly those that are deeply racialised
in Brent, as highlighted in the LGA Independent Review of Brent Health Matters. The review noted that the Brent Health Matters (BHM) program has successfully built trust in communities previously underserved by statutory services and has driven measurable improvements in some of Brent's most stubborn health inequality gaps,
such as those in bowel cancer screening and hypertension identification in Black communities. Specific priorities for children mentioned include oral health and vaccinations,
mental health,
and asthma and childhood asthma.
The report also notes a stronger focus on children, young people, and families for early support and prevention
as a recommendation from the LGA peer review. While the first thousand days
is a key focus, the initiative also encompasses a broader scope for children, young people, and families
and early support and prevention.
To deliver the Best Start in Life
initiative, Brent Council will collaborate with local health services, schools, and community organizations through a neighbourhood working
approach. This involves integrating initiatives across Brent Health Matters (BHM), Family Wellbeing Centres (FWCs), and Radical Place Leadership (RPL) into a unified working in neighbourhoods
strategy. The LGA Independent Review of Brent Health Matters emphasizes the need for stronger connections with other community based / focused roles such as social prescribers (employed by GPs) and other case managing roles, to maximise impact and avoid any duplication.
Furthermore, there is a recommendation to co-develop strategy for VCFSE (Voluntary, Community, Faith and Social Enterprise) to take on greater ownership for running events.
The Best Start in Life
initiative is linked to family hubs
and wider teams,
presenting a real opportunity... to kind of build on it in terms of some of that integration.
The Brent Children's Trust advocates for a partnership approach,
exemplified by the Local Young People Resources and Advice Service (LYRA), which involves 4 providers working in collaboration with each other and a single front door
for mental health support for children and young people. The council is also seeing a shift in resource to put more into children and families.
Data supporting the priorities of the Best Start in Life
initiative can be found in reports such as the Brent Food Strategy, which details rising food insecurity, diet-related ill-health and environmental pressures,
including prevalence of type 2 diabetes,
hypertension rate,
and obesity/overweight
in year six pupils, all of which correlate with poverty.
While these statistics highlight broader health inequalities in Brent, the specific inequalities targeted by the Best Start in Life
initiative are not explicitly detailed beyond the overarching focus on child poverty and the general well-being of children and young people.
Further details on the Health and Wellbeing Board meeting can be found in the Public reports pack and the Agenda frontsheet.
