Our Story

In early 2013, the Better Start Bradford partnership, led by Bradford Trident, was asked to select wards with a higher than average level of needs, particularly in early childhood outcomes. Bowling and Barkerend, Bradford Moor and Little Horton wards in the Bradford East constituency were chosen based on factors including:

• Bradford East was the most deprived in the Bradford district and the 14th most deprived across the country.

• Almost a third of children living in poverty in the Bradford district were living in Bradford East.

• At the time there were high rates of infant mortality, domestic violence and child protection orders

• One in five (19%) children had poor communication skills at school readiness stage compared with one in ten across the whole Bradford district.

• Obesity rates were higher in both reception and year 6 in the Better Start Bradford area compared to the Bradford district.

• 8% of the population in the Better Start Bradford area was aged 0-3 compared to 6% across the Bradford district

The population in Bradford East was very ethnically diverse with 25% White British, 49% Asian/Asian British: Pakistani, 26% other ethnicities (including 5% Asian/Asian British: Bangladeshi, 4% Asian/Asian British: Indian).

To make sure the programme we were hoping to bring to Bradford was going to reach the Better Start Bradford community, we needed to involve them in planning, designing and putting the bid together. We met with parents, community and workforce at every stage along with the partners we also needed to involve. They made sure we were reaching all parts of the community and we were addressing needs they had identified as critically important to their children’s wellbeing.

This led directly to the inclusion of the Better Place project, our parents telling us outdoor play was important long before the researchers discovered it! They have continued to be equal partners in overseeing the programme as well as helping to design, commission and monitor the delivery of our extensive range of services.

A vast workforce was required to successfully deliver the large, ambitious and dynamic Better Start Bradford programme.

• Our core team, the ‘backbone’ of the programme, grew to around 30 staff, providing detailed contract management and support for service design and evaluation of the 30 projects. The team supported early years workforce development across the programme and established Baby Week Bradford as a permanent annual campaign celebrating Bradford’s babies across the Bradford district.

• Our Family and Community Engagement (FACE) Team built trusting relationships with parents and communities across the area and facilititated parent involvement at every level of the programme.

• The Communications Team made sure our key messages were shared through a range of forms and media and delivered many great and award-winning campaigns.

• A team of specialists (including midwifery and public health specialists) made sure we were always at the cutting edge of early childhood knowledge and sharing the emerging learning from the implementation and evaluation of our projects.

• Our leadership ensured that we have had a strong influence on system change and system design in Bradford and more widely.

• We have built strong relationships across sectors to secure the place and voice of the first 1001 days. The funded projects employed more tham 200 people and were supported by 300 volunteers providing great peer support, for example as Doulas, HENRY Parent Champions and peer support volunteers through Home-Start Better Start and the Perinatal Support Service.

• Our dedicated project teams offered and continue to offer high quality early years services in breastfeeding, midwifery, antental support, health visiting, parenting, language support and outdoor play.

Find out about our workforce development offer for this diverse workforce