Chair of the education committee Robert Halfon MP has launched an inquiry to understand the impact that early years education and social policy have on determining a child’s life chances.
The inquiry will also explore the prevention and early intervention support which is available to parents and families to help deliver better outcomes for their children, and the importance of communication skills and language development.
Launching the inquiry, Mr Halfon said that the first few years of a child’s life were ‘crucial’ in determining their future success and that research indicated that children who start school with poor language skills are six times more likely to struggle with reading, and 11 times more likely to struggle with maths, at the age of 11.
He said the inquiry would look at making practical proposals to support all children to succeed.
MPs will look at current Government policy and make recommendations to promote social justice.
While the inquiry will focus on early years settings, it will also consider the role of health and services provided by the Department for Work and Pensions.
‘While home and family life are the biggest influence on a child’s language and skills development in their early years, high quality early years education can have a major impact in helping even the most disadvantaged children to compete with their better-off peers,’ he said.
‘Inequalities in children’s life chances sadly often depend on where they live. In this postcode lottery, some children will benefit from schools and health and support services who co-ordinate their work effectively and help to deliver great results. Unfortunately, in other areas this won’t be the case and children will not get the support they deserve.
'The Education Committee is dedicated to promoting social justice and ensuring that all children have the best life chances must be a vital part of this objective. As a committee we are determined that our inquiry will recommend practical proposals to ensure that all children have the chance to reach and climb the ladder of opportunity and succeed in their lives ahead.’
Action for Children’s director of policy and campaigns Imran Hussain said, ‘Every child deserves the best start in life but we know from our work with disadvantaged children across the UK that many are left behind from day one and struggle to catch up.
‘This inquiry is urgently needed given the Government has yet to deliver the consultation on children’s centres promised over two years ago, despite them closing at a rate of one a week since 2010. Children’s centres are a real success story with parents, providing a range of early help services, focusing on child development and tackling inequalities, as well as playing a crucial role identifying when things are going wrong.
‘Action for Children looks forward to the opportunity to contribute to the inquiry and work with MPs to get the right help to children so less can be spent on costly late interventions.’
The new inquiry follows up on an oral evidence session held by the Education and Work & Pensions Committees on Foundation years and the UK Government’s life chances strategy in July 2016.
David Cameron had announced a life chances strategy in January 2016 but this was put on hold due to the EU referendum. It was officially abandoned in December of that year after Theresa May became Prime Minister and replaced with a social justice strategy.
The education committee inquiry is inviting written evidence on:
- the role of quality early years education in determining life chances and promoting social justice;
- the importance of support for parents and families, and integration with other services, in prevention and early intervention; and
- the importance of communication skills and language development.
The deadline for submissions is 1 June 2018. Submit evidence to the inquiry here