The University of Oxford and the Institute of Health Visiting co-facilitated an information session in July 2025 for Supporting Early Minds‘ newly funded research priority setting project entitled The Developing Child UK. The Developing Child UK Priority Setting Partnership (PSP) is a national initiative that brings together parents, carers, practitioners, and policymakers to identify the most important unanswered questions about community-based interventions that support the social and emotional development of babies and young children (0–5 years). This work ensures future research reflects what truly matters to those who care for and work with children. This work has been generously funded by Elevate Great (with part funding from the Oxford Health NIHR BRC) and hosted by the Institute of Health Visiting.

This presentation outlined the key insights from a targeted evidence review on Early Childhood Development (ECD), commissioned by a group of funders seeking to understand what works to improve child outcomes and how. The review examines existing research to identify effective interventions and highlights critical gaps that require further exploration.

The report aims to support funders in shaping their collaborative efforts and strategic investments in the sector. Key areas of focus include the impact of early identification and intervention, the role of socio-economic factors in shaping child development, and the effectiveness of caregiver and community-based support programs.

An important takeaway was that outcomes and solutions should not be considered in silos. There needs to be a focus on supporting parents and carers to provide and enhance a good home environment to be achieved through successful implementation and strong system enablers.

Parent-child relationships and the home environment have the greatest influence on outcomes. This is often restricted by poverty, which itself has multiple facets. Holistic, place-based solutions are most likely to succeed as they target these multiple facets. However, such approaches take time. There is much to learn from programmes such as A Better Start, Family Hubs, and Early Learning Communities.

Early childhood needs to be prioritised at the system level, with effort in the following areas in particular

• Strong partnerships and coalitions across the sector
• Alignment on a vision for the sector and how to measure progress
• Better data sharing mechanisms within layers of the system

The presentation also discussed methodological challenges in ECD research and propose recommendations for future research priorities. By engaging with the Supporting Early Minds Research Network at Oxford University, this session will contribute to the James Lind Alliance research prioritisation exercise, ensuring that future research efforts align with both practitioner needs and policy imperatives. Ultimately, this work seeks to advance a shared research agenda that maximises impact for children, families, and the broader ECD sector.

Further Reading

Early Childhood Outcomes Report | Better Purpose