Backing Nesta’s ‘New Era’ Vision: A Shared Outcomes Framework for a Stronger Start in Life

At the Common Outcomes for Children and Young People Collaborative, we are delighted to endorse Nesta’s A New Era of Integration report. It marks a significant moment for the sector, a call for joined-up, long-term thinking in early years that centres what matters most: better lives, better experiences, and better support for babies, children, and families.

Nesta sets out a compelling case for national reform, anchored in six essential requirements. At the heart of these is the need for a long-term, outcomes-focused vision with a nationally defined, single outcomes framework that provides clarity, coherence, and consistency across the system, from central government through to local delivery.

This is a strategic move to align systems around a shared purpose: better outcomes for babies, children, young people and families. The report is clear that a small number of core outcomes, indicators and metrics should be set centrally, creating a common thread through health, education, social care and other local delivery systems. These core measures, used consistently, can support local areas to set improvement targets tailored to their population, while still laddering up to national goals like the 75% Good Level of Development target.

The report’s Delphi research reinforces sector-wide agreement on a shared national approach to outcomes: almost 75% of respondents supported core outcomes being defined centrally, with local areas able to add measures that reflect their specific context. This echoes our experience working across regions and sectors with local partners are not asking for more frameworks, but for better alignment, clearer purpose, and a focus on what is most meaningful to babies, children and young people.

Crucially, Nesta recognises that central clarity must go hand-in-hand with local flexibility. Local strategic partners should be empowered to define additional outcomes that reflect their unique priorities and contexts, building on the national core - not replacing or reinterpreting it. This balance of “fixing some things centrally and flexing others locally” reflects the same principles that underpin our Common Outcomes Framework.

 We are proud that the report points to the work of the Common Outcomes for Children and Young People Collaborative as a foundation for this national framework. The Common Outcomes Framework is already being used in local areas across the country to not just understand and capture impact, but to align strategies, share learning, and move forward together. The report includes practical examples of how the Common Outcomes Framework’s five domains and associated indicators could inform a national approach - supporting both strategic alignment and local relevance.

As we look to the future, we see an exciting opportunity to turn this shared vision into collective action particularly in light of the Local Government Outcomes Framework and the national emphasis on school readiness. We’re excited by what’s emerging and invite others to join this growing movement to connect efforts and create lasting change for babies, children, young people, families, and communities.