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Earliest Years of Life Podcast Series

Earliest Years of Life is an uplifting and engaging series that looks at how formative babies’ earliest months and years are.

Zakra Yasin and Kerry Bennett talk with early years specialists from around the UK, to find out how babies and children can be given the best possible start in life.

You can also listen to this series wherever you get your podcasts.

Episode 1: What is Attachment and Why Does it Matter?

In this episode, Zak and Kerry chat with Dr Suzanne Zeedyk, a specialist in human connection and attachment theory, to explore how the earliest years of life give us the tools we use to navigate the challenges of childhood, adolescence, and adulthood.

Episode 2: Birth During a Pandemic

In this episode, Zak and Kerry explore what it is like to give birth in a pandemic and what are the challenges that families have faced.

They discuss the Babies in Lockdown report with two of its authors, Sally Hogg, Head of Policy and Campaigning at the Parent and Infant Foundation and Becky Saunders, Head of Policy and Development at Home-Start UK, together with local mum of three and early years professional, Noreen Kausar.

Episode 3: Is Dad Okay?

Do we regularly look for the signs of adverse mental health in fathers? The latest research suggests that one in ten new fathers develop depression and even higher numbers experience anxiety. Zak and Kerry discuss how early years professionals can spot the signs and encourage fathers to open up on this subject.

Episode 4: Starting the Early Childhood Adversity Conversation

Adverse Childhood Experiences are one of the greatest unaddressed public health challenges facing our nation today. They have a considerable impact on a child’s future health, behaviours and opportunity.  In this episode, Zak and Kerry are joined by Consultant Clinical Psychologist Warren Larkin and Senior Public Health Specialist Jo Howes to explore the relationship between childhood adversity and outcomes in later life.

Episode 5: Greener Cities, Healthier Communities

The link between green space, air quality, rich biodiversity and mental wellbeing in children is well documented.

In this episode, Zak and Kerry are joined by Shahid Islam from Bradford’s Act Early Programme to explore the part we all have to play in transforming the living environment for the youngest and most vulnerable in our society.

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