By Denise Heavey
JERSEY positioned itself as a jurisdiction that understood a simple but powerful truth: if you invest in children early, you invest in the future of society. The Best Start Partnership embodied that ambition. It was designed to bring together government, charities, educators and health professionals into a co-ordinated system focused on improving outcomes for babies, young children and families.
Today, however, that system no longer operates with the same clarity or leadership. While many of the organisations involved continue to collaborate, the central structure and leadership of the Best Start Partnership have been dismantled by government. What remains is a network of committed professionals but without a unified strategy, without clear accountability and without the leadership required to sustain long-term change.
The rise and unravelling of Best Start
The Best Start Partnership was created to address fragmentation in early-years services. It recognised that children and families do not experience policy in neat departmental silos.
Instead, they encounter a system that spans health, education, childcare, and social support. Best Start sought to align those services, to create a shared vision, co-ordinate delivery and ensure that no child fell through the gaps.
Its aims were clear: improve school readiness, reduce inequality, support parents and deliver early intervention. It was grounded in strong evidence that the first five years of life are critical for cognitive, emotional and social development.
Yet, despite this strong foundation, the formal leadership of Best Start has now been removed. The co-ordinating function that once brought partners together, set priorities and maintained momentum has been stepped back. Collaboration continues, but does this feed into government?
A system under pressure
At the same time, Jersey is grappling with a growing cost-of-living crisis. Rising fuel prices, housing costs and everyday expenses are placing increasing strain on families.
This is not a new problem. The pressures facing families have been building for some time. Yet meaningful, co-ordinated action appears to be emerging only now, just months before an election. That timing inevitably invites scrutiny. It suggests a reactive approach, rather than the kind of proactive, long-term strategy that early-year’s policy requires.
For families, the consequences are immediate. Many are working hard, contributing to society, yet still struggling to maintain a decent standard of living. Others fall into a particularly vulnerable category: those who do not qualify for significant support, but who are nonetheless under real financial strain. These are the families who often fall between the cracks.
Why early years and the cost of living are linked
The dismantling of Best Start leadership and the rising cost of living are not separate issues; they are deeply connected.
Financial stress in early childhood can have lasting effects. It impacts parental wellbeing, which in turn affects children’s emotional and cognitive development. It can limit access to quality childcare, reduce opportunities for early learning and increase the risk of poorer outcomes later in life.
A strong early-year’s system should be designed to respond to these pressures. It should identify families at risk, provide targeted support, and ensure that children’s development is not compromised by economic circumstances; this is the work our charities do in the Island.
Without co-ordinated leadership, that response becomes fragmented.
The missing middle
One of the most pressing challenges in Jersey today is the “missing middle”, families who are not in acute poverty, but who are struggling, nonetheless. They may not meet the thresholds for support, but rising costs are eroding their ability to maintain stability.
These families are often invisible in policy discussions. Yet they represent a significant portion of the population. They are working, contributing and raising children, often while quietly absorbing increasing financial pressure.
A renewed Best Start approach could play a crucial role here. By bringing together data, services and community insight, it could help identify where support is needed most and ensure that it reaches those who might otherwise be overlooked.
The need for government leadership
While charities and community organisations continue to do vital work, they cannot replace the role of government. Only government has the authority, resources and reach to create a truly co-ordinated system.
The original strength of Best Start was that it bridged this gap, combining government leadership with community expertise. Its dismantling has left a vacuum.
Rebuilding that leadership does not necessarily mean recreating the partnership exactly as it was. But it does mean restoring a clear, strategic focus on early years, one that is properly resourced, accountable and embedded across government.
It also means recognising that early-year’s policy cannot be separated from wider economic realities. Supporting children requires supporting families. Ensuring a good start in life requires ensuring that families can live with dignity and stability.
From reaction to strategy
The current moment presents a choice. Jersey can continue to respond to pressures as they arise, holding meetings, considering short-term measures and addressing symptoms. Or it can take a more strategic approach.
That approach would involve:
- Re-establishing clear leadership for early years.
- Strengthening co-ordination across services.
- Targeting support at families falling between the cracks.
- Integrating cost-of-living considerations into early-years policy.
- Committing to long-term investment rather than short-term fixes.
A test of commitment
Jersey has repeatedly stated its commitment to “putting children first”. The Best Start Partnership was a tangible expression of that commitment. Its dismantling raises important questions about what comes next.
And if no child is to fall through the cracks, then the system must be designed to catch them.
Conclusion
The story of Best Start is not just about a partnership; it is about how a society chooses to support its youngest members. The relationships and principles it created still exist, but without leadership, they risk losing their impact.
Rebuilding a strong, joined-up approach to early years, one that is closely linked to tackling the cost of living, is not just desirable. It is essential.
Because, ultimately, the measure of any society is how it supports those at the very beginning of life and those doing their best to raise them.
Denise Heavey is a recruitment specialist, mediator in training, and former business leader who champions family wellbeing and mental health. Having led businesses and stepped back to raise her family, she understands both commercial pressures and the hidden strain on carers. She is co-founder of Mentorhood, empowering parents through specialist-led workshops and helping businesses build family-friendly policies.
