{"version":"1.0","type":"rich","provider_name":"Acast","provider_url":"https://acast.com","height":250,"width":700,"html":"<iframe src=\"https://embed.acast.com/$/5ea004d9fbcc383829c71657/689cace12d44a86fa0072c1f?\" frameBorder=\"0\" width=\"700\" height=\"250\"></iframe>","title":"Are Britain’s youngest children getting the best start? | Are the kids OK? #1","thumbnail_width":200,"thumbnail_height":200,"thumbnail_url":"https://open-images.acast.com/shows/5ea004d9fbcc383829c71657/1755098209473-59283d9d-92a4-4e8b-9eff-8a454c1c91ca.jpeg?height=200","description":"<p><strong>Are England’s youngest children getting the best possible start? Or are too many beginning school already behind?</strong></p><p><br></p><p>One of the government’s five ‘missions’ is to break down barriers to opportunity by tackling inequalities in early childhood. Its ‘Best Start in Life’ strategy aims for 75% of children to reach a ‘good level of development’ by age five - but with only 68% meeting that bar today, how ambitious is that goal, and what will it take to get there?</p><p><br></p><p>In this episode of <em>IFS Zooms In</em>, Helen Miller is joined by Christine Farquharson (Associate Director, IFS) and Carey Oppenheim (Nuffield Foundation) to discuss:</p><ul><li>Why the early years matter for long-term outcomes</li><li>The role of childcare, parenting and home environment</li><li>What the evidence says works to close development gaps</li><li>How government policy can (and can’t) deliver change</li></ul><p><br></p><p>📩 <strong>We want your questions for our final Q&amp;A episode!</strong> Send them – voice notes welcome – to <strong>podcasts@ifs.org.uk</strong> or comment on the episode.</p><p><br></p><p>🎧 Subscribe for the full <em>Are the Kids OK?</em> mini-series: just search <strong>IFS Zooms In</strong> in your podcast app.</p><p><br></p><p>Become a member: https://ifs.org.uk/individual-membership</p><p><br></p><p>Find out more: https://ifs.org.uk/podcasts-explainers-and-calculators/podcasts</p>","author_name":"Institute for Fiscal Studies"}