A detailed needs assessment shows that GLD outcomes are shaped by early life factors long before school entry. These include perinatal mental health, parent‑infant relationships, infant feeding, early communication, home learning environment, and parenting capacity. Early indicators such as 2 to 2 and a half year developmental reviews and health visiting contacts further highlight the importance of early support.

To understand local lived experience, the BSiL programme has launched surveys with parents/carers, early years settings and professionals, gathering insight into what families need, where barriers exist, and how accessible current services feel. This forms a core component of co‑production, ensuring that future delivery models are shaped with families, not for them. A summary of these results can be found in Annex B.

Place‑based analysis identifies variations in outcomes, with wards characterised by high deprivation, low GLD attainment, and higher levels of social care involvement forming priority areas. These insights underpin the planned Family Hub network, ensuring services are targeted where the need is greatest. This data is held in a separate data report.