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Pre-school Education: Literacy

Asked by James NaishLabourDepartment for EducationTabled Answered 25 June 2025UIN 60569

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of implementing a place-based approach to early years services to support literacy.

Answered by Stephen Morgan

The government supports a place-based approach to early years services, recognising that local areas are best placed to understand and respond to the needs of their communities. Through the Family Hubs and Start for Life programme, the department is enabling local authorities to deliver integrated, evidence-based support that strengthens the home learning environment, one of the most effective drivers of early literacy. Our national campaign, ‘Little Moments Together’, encourages parents to chat, play and read with their children, helping to build language-rich home environments. These efforts are part of our wider ambition under our Plan for Change to give every child the best start in life, improving early communication and literacy outcomes to ensure every child is ready to thrive at school. In the recent spending review, my right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, confirmed that the government will continue to invest in and expand the Family Hubs programme as part of the Spending Review 2025.

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