Effective governance ensures that the Best Start in Life Plan is delivered:
- consistently
- transparently
- in partnership across Wirral
The governance structure operates at three levels to provide:
- clear leadership
- strong coordination
- robust delivery
Senior sponsorship ensuring a joined-up approach across Children's Services within Wirral Council comes from:
- the Assistant Directors for Education
- the Assistant Director for Early Help Prevention and Effectiveness
Strategic leadership
Strategic oversight is provided by:
- Children, Young People and Education Committee
- Health and Wellbeing Board
which:
- endorses the vision
- agrees priorities
- monitors progress across the early years system
These groups ensure alignment with:
- wider health
- education
- maternity
- SEND
- Public Health strategies
This provides accountability for improving outcomes from pregnancy to school entry.
Best Start in Life (BSIL) Steering Group – system coordination
The multi‑agency BSIL Steering Group brings together senior leaders from:
- health
- Family Hubs
- Early Childhood Services
- maternity
- schools
- SEND
- Speech and Language Therapy
- the voluntary sector
The group:
- coordinates delivery of the BSIL plan
- oversees performance and data
- manages risks
- ensures a unified approach across localities
- leads workforce development
- ensures that commissioned services complement in‑house provision
Locality and operational delivery
Local Family Hub and Early Years operational groups translate strategic priorities into day‑to‑day practice. These groups coordinate:
- frontline delivery
- share insight on emerging needs
- strengthen referral pathways
- consistent messaging for families
Practitioners work together to deliver early identification, intervention, and family support across:
- midwifery
- health visiting
- Early Help
- early years providers
- community partners
Workforce development and commissioning
Workforce training is coordinated across the governance structure and delivered through a blend of direct delivery:
- Family Hubs
- 0–19 services
- Early Childhood Services
- SALT
- SEND teams)
- commissioned training, that is:
- parenting programmes
- specialist interventions
- communication and behaviour support
A shared workforce plan ensures:
- consistent messages
- reduced duplication
- building a confident, skilled Early Years workforce
Voice of families
Parent and carer voice is embedded through:
- Family Hub forums
- co‑production groups
- locality feedback mechanisms
This ensures BSIL remains grounded in lived experience and responsive to what families say they need.