Action Planning
The Lloyd Park Children’s Charity Action Planning
Working Together to Improve Outcomes for Children and Families
1st July 2026
The Early Years Action Planning Group is a well-established multi-agency partnership committed to improving outcomes for babies, young children and their families across the Waltham Forest.
The group brings together professionals and representatives from health services, public health, children's centres, early years providers, outreach services, Early Help, the voluntary and community sector, service leaders, parents and local politicians. By bringing together different perspectives and expertise, the group is able to develop a shared understanding of the needs of local children and families and work collectively to address them.
A central part of the group's role is to review local evidence and data. This includes information relating to child development, health outcomes, early education, service access and demographic trends. The group uses this evidence to identify priorities, understand challenges facing families and develop coordinated, evidence-informed responses that can improve outcomes during the crucial early years of a child's life.
Our Latest Action Planning Session
At our most recent action planning session, partners reviewed local data and explored areas where collaborative action could have the greatest impact. Four key priorities were identified: supporting early language and literacy development, improving engagement with families of younger children, increasing take-up of funded early education and improving childhood immunisation uptake.
Supporting Early Language and Literacy
The group identified family reading and book-sharing as an important area of focus. Evidence and practitioner experience highlighted several barriers, including family pressures, lack of awareness of the benefits of reading, difficulties accessing books, parental confidence with literacy and the increasing impact of screen time on family routines.
Partners agreed to strengthen reading promotion activities by providing families with practical information and support, increasing awareness of local resources such as libraries and book-sharing schemes, and developing engaging reading opportunities within communities. Particular attention will be given to reaching groups who may currently be less likely to engage with literacy activities, including fathers and other underrepresented family members. The group also highlighted the importance of inclusive approaches, including the use of visual resources, translated materials and British Sign Language to support communication and access.
These actions aim to encourage more families to enjoy books together, support children's communication and language development and contribute to improved school readiness.
Improving Engagement with Families of Young Children
The group also examined demographic information relating to children aged 0–2 years. Members identified opportunities to strengthen the use of local data to better understand which families are accessing services and where further engagement may be needed. A particular focus was placed on ensuring services can effectively identify and reach families who may benefit from additional support.
Partners agreed to improve the collection and analysis of demographic information, strengthen links between services and outreach teams and make better use of information from Early Years and Public Health partners. There was also a commitment to focus engagement activity on communities experiencing the highest levels of disadvantage and to use local intelligence to support targeted outreach.
By improving our understanding of local need, the partnership will be better placed to ensure support reaches the children and families who need it most.
Increasing Access to Funded Early Education
Access to funded early education for eligible two-year-olds was identified as another important priority. Discussion highlighted several possible barriers, including low awareness of available funding, uncertainty about whether settings can meet children's needs and language or communication barriers that can make information difficult to access. Partners also recognised the influence of wider factors such as housing circumstances, family wellbeing, ethnicity, special educational needs and disabilities, and English as an Additional Language.
To better understand these challenges, the group agreed to gather additional information from Early Years services and Speech and Language Therapy colleagues. Partners will review available evidence, analyse patterns of participation and establish a focused action group to develop recommendations that can increase the number of eligible children benefiting from funded places.
Increasing participation in high-quality early education can have a significant positive impact on children's learning, development and readiness for school, making this an important area for ongoing partnership work.
Improving Childhood Immunisation Uptake
The final priority considered by the group was childhood immunisation uptake. Partners identified a number of factors that may contribute to lower uptake, including parental anxiety, misinformation, language barriers and limited opportunities for families to discuss concerns with trusted professionals. Differences in immunisation systems across countries were also recognised as a potential factor for some families.
The group agreed that a coordinated, partnership-based approach is needed. Planned actions include improving public awareness of the benefits of immunisation, making information available in a wider range of languages, strengthening professional training and creating more opportunities for families to access trusted advice through community settings, outreach activity and local events. Partners also committed to working closely with Public Health colleagues to better understand local trends and target support where it is most needed.
The overall aim is to ensure that families have access to clear, consistent and evidence-based information so they can make informed decisions and children can benefit from the protection that immunisation provides.
Looking Ahead
The Early Years Evidence and Learning Group will continue to meet termly to review progress, analyse emerging evidence and identify opportunities for further collaborative action. By combining data, professional expertise and the experiences of families and communities, the partnership aims to ensure that services are responsive, inclusive and effective.
Through strong multi-agency working and a shared commitment to evidence-informed practice, we will continue striving to give every child the best possible start in life.