Parents supported to navigate early years misinformation online in new government campaign
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New data reveals information overwhelm on the rise as one in three
scroll social media for support in their child's early
years Expert advice made more accessible with new
national Best Start in Life campaign to help deliver government's
plan for national renewal – backing parents to cut through the
noise Families to access evidence-backed support on
their doorstep as first tranche of funding delivered to begin
building Best Start Family...Request free trial
Life for overwhelmed parents is set to get that bit easier as the government kicks off a new national campaign to help them cut through the bombardment of sometimes unreliable advice and false expectations online. From Instagram gurus to TikTok tips, turning to online communities is an understandable trend among parents of young children - with new research revealing a third (33%) now scroll social media for support. However, the vast majority (68%) are battling with conflicting advice that they struggle to trust, causing 7 in 10 (69%) to feel overwhelmed by the amount of information available. Contributing to this confusion are viral posts that push unverified ‘miracle' fixes or hacks, with short-form videos from sources offering no evidence to back their claims, often doing more harm than good. As part of its Plan for Change, the government is driving national renewal by tackling inequality and unlocking opportunity across the country. Following the rollout of 30 hours government-funded childcare last month, over half a million children are now benefitting from the expertise of this country's early years professionals, and now, the new Best Start in Life campaign will build on this progress by bringing together trusted NHS and government-backed guidance to help parents with everything from feeding time and sleeping to speech and language, child development, and finding local childcare and family support. Launching today, a powerful new film featuring expert child psychologist Professor Sam Wass, and new collaboration with Hasbro's Peppa Pig builds on the government's package of support. The film points to the importance of reading, chatting, and playing with little ones to help prepare them for school, and helpful content from the Peppa Pig family will feature on the Muddy Puddle Parenting channel. This comes alongside investment to ensure every family can access in-person support too, as 65 previously unfunded local areas from Devon to Stockton-on-Tees have this week received their share of a £12 million development grant to begin building their Best Start Family Hub offer – ahead of rollout beginning next year. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said:
“The path to opportunity for every child begins in the early
years, and ensuring children are ready to learn and thrive when
they start school is vital - yet new parents face an overwhelming
amount of conflicting online information. Claire, Parent of four-year-old Alice said: “Since Alice was born, a range of resources have helped me at every stage of my journey as a parent. From guidance on feeding, to funded childcare hours for her nursery, this support has helped ensure that Alice is thriving and allowed me to juggle work and family life – which is particularly important to me as a single mother.
“Being a parent comes with plenty of questions, and it can be
hard to know where to look for answers, so having access to
advice you can trust in one place will make it a lot easier for
parents to support their children in reaching their
potential." With celebrity endorsement from the likes of Oti Mabuse, Billie Shepherd and The Kabs Family, and the backing of experts including Professor Sam Wass, the campaign will reach parents across TV, radio and social media, as well as in Family Hubs, GP surgeries, libraries and early years settings. Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting said: "In between sleepless nights, potty training and weaning their children, it's no wonder so many knackered parents feel they need to turn to unverified social media posts for advice about their child's health and development. "But it's vital they get reliable information – and that's why this Best Start in Life campaign is so important, and the health benefits are so clear. When parents get the right advice on things like nutrition, sleep and development, children arrive at school ready to learn, with stronger immune systems and better mental health that can last a lifetime. “As a child who grew up in poverty, I know how critical it is for parents to have access to evidence-based, expert advice exactly when and where they need it, and this campaign is providing exactly that.” Professor Stephen Scott, Professor Emeritus at King's College London, and the King's Maudsley Partnership said: “A new evidence review conducted and published by King's College London, part of the King's Maudsley Partnership for Children and Young People, has found that analysis from shows that many parents are negatively impacted by the breadth of information available and the weak credibility of some sources can affect their confidence and even prevent them from making key parenting decisions. “To help tackle the consequences of ‘information overwhelm', it's important for parents to have easily accessible, trusted resources to help cut through online noise and misinformation.” As part of its Plan for Change commitment to get tens of thousands more children school ready each year, the government has vowed to join-up and roll out vital services. That includes thousands of school-based nurseries, Best Start Family Hubs in every local area, free breakfast clubs in every school and backing for the Holiday Activities and Food Programme for another three years. The £12 million Best Start Family Hubs development grant distributed this week builds on existing efforts to break down barriers, supporting areas to identify an appropriate site to reach disadvantaged families and prepare to deliver evidence-based programmes and support. The grant comes on top of an over £500 million investment to create up to 1,000 hubs across the country, rolling out from April 2026. ENDS Notes to editors
Further research findings
Further supportive commentary Child psychologist, Professor Sam Wass: “Parents may not be aware, but the groundwork for children's future success at school and beyond can start right at the beginning of childhood and in the home. “Each stage of the early years is a crucial building block for children's development and can start from a healthy pregnancy, bonding with your newborn, small daily interactions like eye contact, chatting and playing, as well as ensuring you have the right support for your family's needs through local services. “Giving parents access to a single online source of credible information, combined with support in their communities, and guidance from education and health professionals, is vital to helping parents feel empowered in the early years of their child's life.” Tay Kabs, online content creator said: "As a dad of three, with another on the way, I'm often having to juggle different needs. From helping my children get ready to start school when they were younger, to now supporting my wife and preparing to welcome a new baby to our home. “It's reassuring to know that families like mine have got a place to go for credible advice whenever they need that extra support.” Esra Cafer, SVP, Global Brand Management - Preschool at Hasbro said: “At Hasbro, we're passionate about inspiring joyful moments for children and supporting parents through the power of play and storytelling. For over 20 years, Peppa Pig has been a trusted, relatable friend to preschoolers and their families — encouraging little ones to explore the world with confidence, curiosity, and plenty of giggles. “We're delighted to partner with the government's Best Start in Life campaign to help more families access valuable early years resources. “Together, we're proud to champion both the fun and the fundamentals - helping children flourish and parents feel supported every step of the way.” |