Best Start in Life

Giving Sutton’s children the best start in life

What is “Best Start in Life”

Best Start in Life is a national government initiative to help all children reach a good level of development. In Sutton, we are committed to ensuring every child has what they need to thrive from birth. For local families, this means we are changing how we work to make support easier to find, quicker to access, and better suited to your family’s needs.

 While we support young people up to age 19, we are putting a special focus on the first five years of life (0–5) because we know this is when we can make the biggest difference for your child’s future. Visit the national best start in life digital hub for more advice

Our goals for your family

We aren't just changing the way we work together; we are also working towards real results for Sutton residents. Our ambition is to:

• provide you with the practical skills and advice you need to feel supported as a parent.
• make sure families know where to go when they need help.

 We know that healthy children are better learners, and children who do well in school go on to live healthier, happier lives. Our aim is that 78% of Sutton’s children reach their key development milestones by the end of Reception, so they feel confident and have the skills they need in life.

How we’re changing our services

You may notice some changes in how you interact with local services as we work on 3  main areas:

•  Connecting our services: We are exploring ways to connect our services to make your family's experience smoother. We want to make it easier for you to find help early.
•  Listening to families: Your lived experience is important. We aim to put parents and carers at the heart of our work by growing our Parent Panels. 
•  Using information better: We use local data to ensure our resources are in the right places and offer the specific help that families in your neighbourhood are asking for.

Resources for your family

 If you're looking for support today, you can access a range of services across the borough.

Sutton Family Hubs offer welcoming, non-judgmental support across 4 local hubs in:

•  Wallington
• Carshalton
•  Cheam & South Sutton 
• Central Sutton 

Whether you're looking for advice, connection, or practical help, there’s something for everyone.

  You can:

•  drop in to friendly coffee mornings
•  get help with forms or debt advice
•  join parenting programmes
•  take part in groups like Male Carers Stay & Play at the Carshalton hub
• volunteer and support other local families

Find out more about Sutton Family Hubs and how they can support you and your family.

Health visiting 

Health visitors are registered nurses who have professional experience in child development and family health. They work as part of a team with community nursery nurses and other professionals to promote good health and to help with the prevention of illness in all age groups.

Find out more about Sutton Health Visiting Service.

Our Partners and Strategic Plan

To ensure your family receives the best possible care, we are proud to deliver the Best Start in Life offer in close partnership with Sutton Health and Care and Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust.

Read our Best Start in Life Strategic Plan to find out more.

If you require an accessible version of the plan, please contact our Public Health team at publichealth@sutton.gov.uk and we will aim to provide one within 10 working days.