Monday 8 August 2022 @ 11:00 am – 12:30 pm –
View event >Tuesday 9 September 2022 @ 9:15 am – 11:15 am –
View event >Friday 8 August 2022 @ 10:00 am – 12:30 pm –
View event >Wednesday 9 September 2022 @ 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm –
View event >Wednesday 9 September 2022 @ 10:00 am – 12:00 pm –
View event >Tuesday 9 September 2022 – Wednesday 9 September 2022 @ 11:30 am – 1:00 pm –
View event >Tuesday 9 September 2022 – Wednesday 9 September 2022 @ 11:30 am – 1:00 pm –
View event >Tuesday 9 September 2022 – Wednesday 9 September 2022 @ 11:30 am – 1:00 pm –
View event >Tuesday 10 October 2022 – Wednesday 10 October 2022 @ 11:30 am – 1:00 pm –
View event >Tuesday 10 October 2022 – Wednesday 10 October 2022 @ 11:30 am – 1:00 pm –
View event >Tuesday 10 October 2022 – Wednesday 10 October 2022 @ 11:30 am – 1:00 pm –
View event >Tuesday 9 September 2022 – Wednesday 9 September 2022 @ 9:00 am – 10:30 am –
View event >Tuesday 9 September 2022 – Wednesday 9 September 2022 @ 9:00 am – 10:30 am –
View event >Tuesday 9 September 2022 – Wednesday 9 September 2022 @ 9:00 am – 10:30 am –
View event >Tuesday 10 October 2022 – Wednesday 10 October 2022 @ 9:00 am – 10:30 am –
View event >Tuesday 10 October 2022 – Wednesday 10 October 2022 @ 9:00 am – 10:30 am –
View event >Tuesday 10 October 2022 – Wednesday 10 October 2022 @ 9:00 am – 10:30 am –
View event >Tuesday 9 September 2022 – Wednesday 9 September 2022 @ 9:45 am – 11:15 am –
View event >Tuesday 9 September 2022 – Wednesday 9 September 2022 @ 9:45 am – 11:15 am –
View event >Tuesday 9 September 2022 – Wednesday 9 September 2022 @ 9:45 am – 11:15 am –
View event >Tuesday 10 October 2022 – Wednesday 10 October 2022 @ 9:45 am – 11:15 am –
View event >Tuesday 10 October 2022 – Wednesday 10 October 2022 @ 9:45 am – 11:15 am –
View event >Tuesday 10 October 2022 – Wednesday 10 October 2022 @ 9:45 am – 11:15 am –
View event >Monday 9 September 2022 – Tuesday 9 September 2022 @ 9:45 am – 11:15 am –
View event >Monday 9 September 2022 – Tuesday 9 September 2022 @ 9:45 am – 11:15 am –
View event >Monday 9 September 2022 – Tuesday 9 September 2022 @ 9:45 am – 11:15 am –
View event >Monday 10 October 2022 – Tuesday 10 October 2022 @ 9:45 am – 11:15 am –
View event >Monday 10 October 2022 – Tuesday 10 October 2022 @ 9:45 am – 11:15 am –
View event >Monday 10 October 2022 – Tuesday 10 October 2022 @ 9:45 am – 11:15 am –
View event >Monday 9 September 2022 – Tuesday 9 September 2022 @ 11:30 am – 1:00 pm –
View event >Monday 9 September 2022 – Tuesday 9 September 2022 @ 11:30 am – 1:00 pm –
View event >Monday 9 September 2022 – Tuesday 9 September 2022 @ 11:30 am – 1:00 pm –
View event >Monday 10 October 2022 – Tuesday 10 October 2022 @ 11:30 am – 1:00 pm –
View event >Monday 10 October 2022 – Tuesday 10 October 2022 @ 11:30 am – 1:00 pm –
View event >Monday 10 October 2022 – Tuesday 10 October 2022 @ 11:30 am – 1:00 pm –
View event >Tuesday 10 October 2022 @ 9:15 am – 11:15 am –
View event >Wednesday 9 September 2022 @ 12:30 pm – 2:30 pm –
View event >Wednesday 9 September 2022 @ 10:00 am – 12:00 pm –
View event >Tuesday 11 November 2022 – Wednesday 12 December 2022 @ 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm –
View event >Tuesday 9 September 2022 – Wednesday 12 December 2022 @ 10:00 am – 12:00 pm –
View event >Wednesday 12 December 2022 @ 10:00 am – 11:15 am –
View event >Wednesday 11 November 2022 @ 10:00 am – 11:15 am –
View event >Monday 10 October 2022 @ 10:00 am – 11:15 am –
View event >Wednesday 9 September 2022 @ 10:00 am – 12:00 pm –
View event >Tuesday 9 September 2022 @ 9:15 am – 11:30 am –
View event >Tuesday 9 September 2022 @ 9:15 am – 11:15 am –
View event >Thursday 9 September 2022 @ 10:00 am – 12:00 pm –
View event >Tuesday 9 September 2022 @ 1:15 pm – 3:15 pm –
View event >We’re over the moon to welcome you to our new website! We invite you to have a look around…
View post >Tuesday 8 August 2022 @ 11:00 am – 1:00 pm –
View event >Tuesday 8 August 2022 @ 11:00 am – 1:00 pm –
View event >Tuesday 9 September 2022 @ 11:00 am – 1:00 pm –
View event >Tuesday 9 September 2022 @ 11:00 am – 1:00 pm –
View event >Tuesday 9 September 2022 @ 11:00 am – 1:00 pm –
View event >Tuesday 9 September 2022 @ 11:00 am – 1:00 pm –
View event >Monday 12 December 2022 @ 12:15 pm – 4:30 pm –
View event >Tuesday 10 October 2022 @ 9:15 am – 1:30 pm –
View event >Wednesday 11 November 2022 @ 9:00 am – 4:30 pm –
View event >Monday 8 August 2022 @ 12:30 pm – 2:30 pm –
View event >Monday 8 August 2022 @ 12:30 pm – 2:30 pm –
View event >Monday 9 September 2022 @ 12:30 pm – 2:30 pm –
View event >Monday 9 September 2022 @ 12:30 pm – 2:30 pm –
View event >Monday 9 September 2022 @ 12:30 pm – 2:30 pm –
View event >Monday 9 September 2022 @ 12:30 pm – 2:30 pm –
View event >If you love the outdoors, value local greenspaces and don't mind getting your hands dirty, this could be the role for you!
View page >The Better Start Bradford team was thrilled to meet Dame Andrea Leadsom MP, the Government’s Early Years Advisor, and staff from the Start for Life unit within the Department of Health on Thursday 30 June 2022
View post >Monday 8 August 2022 @ 10:00 am – 12:00 pm –
View event >Monday 8 August 2022 @ 10:00 am – 12:00 pm –
View event >Saturday 8 August 2022 @ 10:00 am – 11:30 am –
View event >Saturday 8 August 2022 @ 10:00 am – 11:30 am –
View event >Saturday 9 September 2022 @ 10:00 am – 11:30 am –
View event >Saturday 9 September 2022 @ 10:00 am – 11:30 am –
View event >Saturday 9 September 2022 @ 10:00 am – 11:30 am –
View event >Saturday 9 September 2022 @ 10:00 am – 11:30 am –
View event >Saturday 10 October 2022 @ 10:00 am – 11:30 am –
View event >Saturday 10 October 2022 @ 10:00 am – 11:30 am –
View event >Saturday 10 October 2022 @ 10:00 am – 11:30 am –
View event >Saturday 10 October 2022 @ 10:00 am – 11:30 am –
View event >Saturday 10 October 2022 @ 10:00 am – 11:30 am –
View event >Saturday 11 November 2022 @ 10:00 am – 11:30 am –
View event >Saturday 11 November 2022 @ 10:00 am – 11:30 am –
View event >Saturday 11 November 2022 @ 10:00 am – 11:30 am –
View event >Saturday 11 November 2022 @ 10:00 am – 11:30 am –
View event >Tuesday 9 September 2022 @ 9:30 am – 12:00 pm –
View event >Tuesday 8 August 2022 @ 2:00 pm – 3:30 pm –
View event >Wednesday 9 September 2022 @ 10:00 am – 2:00 pm –
View event >Tuesday 9 September 2022 @ 10:30 am – 12:30 pm –
View event >Wednesday 10 October 2022 @ 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm –
View event >Thursday 9 September 2022 @ 12:30 pm – 3:00 pm –
View event >Wednesday 9 September 2022 @ 12:30 pm – 3:00 pm –
View event >Thursday 9 September 2022 @ 9:00 am – 4:30 pm –
View event >Thursday 8 August 2022 @ 10:00 am – 10:45 am –
View event >Thursday 9 September 2022 @ 10:00 am – 10:45 am –
View event >Thursday 10 October 2022 @ 10:00 am – 10:45 am –
View event >Thursday 11 November 2022 @ 10:00 am – 10:45 am –
View event >There's so much fun to be had in outside spaces of local community centres. Whether it is following a sensory foot trail, transporting sand or getting arty on blackboards and paving, there's something for every toddler.
View page >The Little Free Libraries is an initiative that brings greater access to books for very young children. Find out where your nearest Little Free Library is.
View page >We’re over the moon to welcome you to our new website! We invite you to have a look around…
View post >Monday 9 September 2022 – Friday 9 September 2022 @ 9:00 am – 4:00 pm –
View event >Local families and their little ones are enjoying walking to Canterbury Nursery via Kettlewell Snicket. They are hopping over the alphabet stepping-stones, playing hopscotch and saying hello to the giant ladybird!
View page >Thursday 8 August 2022 @ 2:00 pm – 3:30 pm –
View event >Thursday 8 August 2022 @ 2:00 pm – 3:30 pm –
View event >Thursday 9 September 2022 @ 2:00 pm – 3:30 pm –
View event >Thursday 9 September 2022 @ 2:00 pm – 3:30 pm –
View event >Thursday 9 September 2022 @ 2:00 pm – 3:30 pm –
View event >Thursday 9 September 2022 @ 2:00 pm – 3:30 pm –
View event >Thursday 8 August 2022 @ 12:30 pm – 2:00 pm –
View event >Thursday 8 August 2022 @ 12:30 pm – 2:00 pm –
View event >Thursday 9 September 2022 @ 12:30 pm – 2:00 pm –
View event >Thursday 9 September 2022 @ 12:30 pm – 2:00 pm –
View event >Thursday 9 September 2022 @ 12:30 pm – 2:00 pm –
View event >Thursday 9 September 2022 @ 12:30 pm – 2:00 pm –
View event >Wednesday 8 August 2022 @ 12:00 pm – 1:30 pm –
View event >Wednesday 8 August 2022 @ 12:00 pm – 1:30 pm –
View event >Wednesday 8 August 2022 @ 12:00 pm – 1:30 pm –
View event >Wednesday 9 September 2022 @ 12:00 pm – 1:30 pm –
View event >Wednesday 9 September 2022 @ 12:00 pm – 1:30 pm –
View event >Wednesday 9 September 2022 @ 12:00 pm – 1:30 pm –
View event >Wednesday 9 September 2022 @ 9:30 am – 1:30 pm –
View event >Thursday 9 September 2022 @ 12:30 pm – 2:30 pm –
View event >Never has walking along a street been so much fun! Better Place have worked their magic on Folkestone Street - there's so much to see as you hop, skip and jump along the path, you will want to do it over and over again!
View page >Beech Grove Greenway is a stretch of green space providing a route through to the city centre from Beech Grove Park. It is now more attractive, fun and safe for families with young children. Find out more here...
View page >Sunday 8 August 2022 @ 10:00 am – 11:30 am –
View event >Sunday 8 August 2022 @ 10:00 am – 11:30 am –
View event >Sunday 9 September 2022 @ 10:00 am – 11:30 am –
View event >Wednesday 9 September 2022 @ 12:45 pm – 2:45 pm –
View event >Tuesday 9 September 2022 @ 10:00 am – 11:15 am –
View event >Wednesday 8 August 2022 @ 10:00 am – 11:30 am –
View event >Wednesday 8 August 2022 @ 10:00 am – 11:30 am –
View event >Wednesday 8 August 2022 @ 10:00 am – 11:30 am –
View event >Wednesday 9 September 2022 @ 10:00 am – 11:30 am –
View event >Wednesday 9 September 2022 @ 10:00 am – 11:30 am –
View event >Wednesday 9 September 2022 @ 10:00 am – 11:30 am –
View event >Wednesday 9 September 2022 @ 10:00 am – 11:30 am –
View event >There's much fun to be had in Pocket Parks thanks to Better Place. Visit Attock Park to see if you can spot the sea creature sculptures or zoom down the Mayfield Centre slide before visiting the little free library.
View page >There's so much to do at Myra Shay thanks to the Better Place team. Play hide and seek in the growing forest with your little ones. Roll down the mounds. See if you can name all of the different species of trees.
View page >Wednesday 8 August 2022 @ 10:00 am – 11:30 am –
View event >Wednesday 8 August 2022 @ 10:00 am – 11:30 am –
View event >Wednesday 8 August 2022 @ 10:00 am – 11:30 am –
View event >Wednesday 9 September 2022 @ 10:00 am – 11:30 am –
View event >Wednesday 9 September 2022 @ 10:00 am – 11:30 am –
View event >Wednesday 9 September 2022 @ 10:00 am – 11:30 am –
View event >There's so much to do at Horton Park thanks to the Better Place team. Whizz around the sculptures and across the bridge on your trike. See what you can build in the sandpit.
View page >There's so much to do at Peel Park thanks to the Better Place team. Dare you climb up the spider's web to whoosh down the spider's slippery slide? And then clamber over the higgledy piggledy logs into the sand pit!
View page >There's so much to do at Bowling Park thanks to the Better Place team. Whizz around the wheelie track on your trike. Play hide and seek in the sand pit huts. See which creatures you can spot in The Roughs.
View page >Are you ready to have an adventure in the natural play area? Or you can whoosh down the slide into the pond with shining mosaic fish and run around the giant duck, badger and mole before hiding in the wriggly worm!
View page >Why do we only work in three wards? What projects and services do we provide? How can you volunteer with us? Find out the answers to these and many more questions...
View page >Tanya is one of our Home-Start Better Start volunteers. Here she shares how volunteering has increased her confidence and helped her with her own anxiety issues.
View post >Up to £250 available for a one-off summer event for families with under 3s to help promote the uptake of free early education and childcare for 2-year-olds.
View post >This story is about one of our volunteers, Ludmila, no longer a volunteer and now one of our Neighbourhood Workers!
View post >When volunteer Community Board member Salma made a suggestion for adult well-being packs at one of our Board meetings, we agreed that this would be a brilliant idea, so we made it happen!
View post >Find out how to refer parents/carers for specialist support around the parent-infant relationship, or how you can benefit from consultation and training as a professional - delivered for us by BDCFT.
View project >Find out how to refer families to this group parenting course to promote positive attachment, delivered for us by Barnardos.
View project >Find out how to refer women for emotional and mental health support during pregnancy and the first year after birth, delivered for us by Family Action.
View project >Find out how your early years setting can benefit from speech and language support, delivered for us by BHT Early Education and Training
View project >Find out how to refer a family for practical and emotional support in the home, delivered for us by Home-Start Bradford District.
View project >Find out how to sign your early years setting up for free forest school sessions, and what training is on offer. Delivered for us by Get Out More.
View project >Find out how to refer pregnant women for practical and emotional support through latter pregnancy, birth and beyond - delivered for us by Bradford Doulas.
View project >Support sessions with volunteers trained in listening, during pregnancy and the first year after birth.
View project >Join this group parenting programme to help you connect with your toddler (for families with children aged 1-3).
View project >Get support from a trained volunteer - a listening ear and a helping hand when and where you need it.
View project >Fun, free outdoor play sessions in a park near you, for families with children aged 0-3.
View project >The Better Place project is working with local people to create safer, healthier and fun places across the Better Start Bradford area. Where will your next adventure be?
View project >Receive emotional and practical support from a volunteer doula before, during and after birth (for women who are 28+ weeks' pregnant).
View project >Get support every step of the way on your journey to parenthood (for expectant families).
View project >Find out how to refer families to this comprehensive group programme that helps expectant parents transition to parenthood, delivered for us by Action for Children.
View project >Find out how to refer two-year-olds for speech and language support in the home, delivered for us by BHT Early Education and Training
View project >Fun English language classes for you and your child, held in community venues (for families with children aged up to 2).
View project >We are proud to work in Bowling and Barkerend, Bradford Moor and Little Horton, AKA 'the Better Start Bradford area'
View page >Better Start Bradford is an evidence-led programme, developed according to research into what works in supporting expectant families and families with children aged 0-3. Find out how it is being evaluated.
View page >Find out who makes up our Partnership Board and why our governance structure is a little bit different
View page >Find out how to refer parents whose first language isn't English for language classes to help them communicate with their children, delivered for us by Shipley College.
View project >Friendly English language classes and support for pregnant women to help them communicate with their midwife and feel more in control
View project >Find out how to refer pregnant women to this language course for non-native English speaking women, delivered for us by Shipley College.
View project >A series of videos made by parents for parents. You will watch parents and carers sharing precious little moments which will help little ones' brains grow and develop.
View page >Meet our Family and Community Engagement (FACE) Team and Neighbourhood Workers - the face and voice of Better Start Bradford in the community.
View page >A series of animated videos featuring everyday Big Little Moments you can share with your babies and toddlers to build their brains. The little moments you share every day make a big difference.
View page >Better Start Brushing is an educational campaign to help improve the oral health of 0-3s in the Better Start Bradford area.
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View page >Free, friendly breastfeeding and mixed feeding support in your own home or over the phone (for expectant families or families with a baby under 6 months).
View project >Find out how to refer families who are breastfeeding or mixed feeding for practical and emotional support, delivered for us by Health for All.
View project >Sign up to receive free books for your child, plus come along to story and rhyme time sessions in local community venues (for families with children aged 0-4).
View project >Find out how to refer families to a free course to help them cook healthy family food on a budget, delivered for us by HENRY.
View project >A free course run in local community venues to help you cook healthy family food on a budget (for families with children aged 0-3).
View project >Find out how families can sign up for free books for their children, every month from birth to their fifth birthday. Delivered for us by BHT Early Education and Training.
View project >While much of our work focuses on families and the local maternity and early years workforce in the here and now, we’re also keen to develop and influence the future workforce. Find out one of the ways we’ve been doing this recently…
View post >Come and join our amazing team, dedicated to giving children the best start in life.
View page >Free, friendly group programmes and workshops to help you and your family become healthier and happier (for families with children aged 0-3).
View project >Find out how to refer families to HENRY's Healthy Families programme and workshops, and find out what training is on offer for the workforce.
View project >Get your paints, pens, pencils, crayons at the ready because our Better Place project are wanting artwork from families with children aged under four years living in the Better Start Bradford area
View post >Our Community Board Members are the voice of families in the Better Start Bradford area and play a major part in supporting and shaping our work.
View page >Our Community Champions are simply amazing. By giving just a few hours a week, you could help us reach many more families in Bowling and Barkerend, Bradford Moor and Little Horton.
View page >Just over two years ago, we announced four new projects funded through our Innovation Fund, including £30,000 for ‘Growing Together Bradford’…then Covid-19 struck and we went into lockdown. Find out how Horton Community Farm and Grow to School adapted their project and kept going…
View post >Whether you're a family looking for support or a member of the workforce looking to refer a family, start your journey here to find the right support.
View page >In March 2022 at a glitzy awards ceremony at the Bradford Hotel, our finalists for the Outstanding Contribution to Early Years award eagerly awaited the results. Find out who won…
View post >Our ESOL for Pregnancy project, delivered by Shipley College, thrived as an online course during the pandemic, with students feeling more able to attend sessions from their homes.
View post >Find out all about who we are, why we exist and why we're so passionate about the early years.
View page >We have over 15 amazing projects for expectant families and families with children aged 0-3 in Bowling and Barkerend, Bradford Moor and Little Horton. Find the right one for you or a family you're working with.
View page >If you want new skills to help you into employment, would like to give something back, or want to put that spare time to good use, we've got a volunteering role for you.
View page >Early childhood development broken down into simple steps, with activities and resources galore for families and the workforce alike.
View page >Whether you’re expecting a baby, have children aged 0-3 or work or volunteer in health, maternity or early years, we've got an event or training session for you.
View page >We'd love to hear from you. Here's how you can get in touch with us Monday to Friday.
View page >Find out what's new at Better Start Bradford and read real-life, heartfelt, stories from families and volunteers who have benefited from our work.
View page >Who we are Suggested text: Our website address is: http://bsb.:8888. Comments Suggested text: When visitors leave comments on the site we collect the data shown in the comments form, and also the visitor’s IP address and browser user agent string to help spam detection. An anonymized string created from your email address (also called a […]
View page >Our Family and Community Engagement Team – AKA the FACE Team – never stops. Here’s what they’ve been up to during autumn and winter and what exciting things they have in the pipeline.
View post >A grandparenting group, ChildsSide’s Older Yet Wiser, who met the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge when they visited Bradford in 2020 have been running grandparenting workshops for grandparents of 0-3s.
View post >Annabel Mason, Senior Project Officer for Better Start Bradford’s Better Place programme, shares the extensive work that the team have been doing in the community to improve air quality.
View post >A new year update from Programme Director, Alex Spragg
View post >The Little Free Libraries is an initiative that brings greater access to books for very young children. Read how Better Place and Better Start Imagine are working together to install 8 Little Free Libraries in our area.
View post >Myra Shay recreation ground will soon be humming to the sounds of active children and families, and wildlife, thanks to a project delivered in collaboration with Better Place and Bradford Volunteer Doulas.
View post >Baby Week Bradford returns from 15-21 November 2021 and aims to challenge everyone to think about why Bradford babies are everyone’s business…
View post >If it’s cold outside, it can be tempting to keep your little ones warm indoors. But there are still many ways you and your young children can continue to enjoy the outdoors whatever the weather!
View post >Mum of two young children, Mariyam, completed HENRY’s online Cooking For A Better Start course and told us the sessions changed her life.
View post >Moments that Matter Bradford captures those little moments of interaction and contact between parents/carers and their babies and how these positively impact on the development of a baby’s brain.
View post >Eight groups are receiving a share of £16,500 thanks to the latest round of Better Start Bradford’s Parents in the Lead Activities Fund, bringing the overall total to £121,418 since the fund began in April 2017.
View post >When Saiqa, 38, joined a Better Start Bradford walking group in 2018, little did she know that a few years down the line she would be a Better Start Bradford Community Champion.
View post >Raymond volunteers with many different groups, but he credits Better Start Bradford with turning his life around
View post >Volunteers’ Week (1-7 June) is the nation’s chance to celebrate the wonderful contribution that volunteers make. In this blog we chatted to our Volunteer Co-ordinator, Emma Stafford, to find out more about what inspires her to do her role at Better Start Bradford and why she believes in the power of volunteering. Emma’s role is […]
View post >Free to download, the Better Start Bradford app is the easiest way for anyone to view our events calendar (with lots of free events and activities). It’s also a great way to stay in touch with our latest news and updates
View post >WomenZone are delighted to announce the opening of their new play gym and healthy café from Monday 17 May 2021, thanks to funding of £99,600 through Better Start Bradford’s Innovation Fund. Through lockdown, WomenZone, who are based at Hubert Street, Bradford, have been busy developing their new baby and toddler play gym called ‘The Play […]
View post >Partners came together on 16 March 2021 to launch the new Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) Trauma and Resilience Strategy for the Bradford District. The strategy is the culmination of a desire in Bradford to move forward with becoming a trauma informed and ACE aware city. The journey began in October 2018 when Better Start Bradford […]
View post >Working together to take care of the most vulnerable in our communities by providing pancake food packs to local families
View post >Thanks to our Better Place project the Neighbourhood Resource Centre on Ventnor Street now has a new beautiful outdoor play and garden space for the whole community to enjoy.
View post >Better Start Bradford is supporting the implementation of the Maternal Early Childhood Sustained Home Visiting (MECSH) programme with health visitors from Bradford District Care NHS Foundation Trust (BDCFT) in the Better Start Bradford area and Bradford East area. MECSH was designed in Australia to provide structured support to families at risk of poorer maternal and […]
View post >Community engagement has always been at the heart of Better Start Bradford. Everything we deliver is for the community and has been developed with our local community. So, it made perfect sense to ensure that we had community workers based within each area that we serve in Bradford. Therefore, our Neighbourhood Project was born. By […]
View post >Last year the University of Leeds received £109,000 through Better Start Bradford’s Innovation Fund to improve oral health for 0-3’s in Bowling and Barkerend, Bradford Moor and Little Horton by delivering their ‘Enhancing the HABIT’ project with the area’s Health Visitors as soon as COVID-19 allows. HABIT (Health visitors delivering Advice in Britain on Infant […]
View post >The Better Start Bradford Communications and Marketing Team is celebrating (albeit remotely) after winning Nursery World’s Online and Social Media award. They were awarded it at the online ceremony on Thursday 4 February. The judges described Better Start Bradford’s online presence as key to the programme’s work in “getting messages and information out to the […]
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View post >Happy New Year – I think we’re all ready to see the back of the last one and genuinely hope for a healthier and happier 2021. 2020 was not what any of us thought it might be, and whilst it has brought sadness and challenges we never imagined would happen in our lifetime, the Better […]
View post >We all know that ‘Rome wasn’t built in a day’ and that is because bricks and mortar are not the only things that matter when it comes to building or creating something for the community. What matters most is that local communities are involved from the very beginning to decide what is needed for their […]
View post >In the first few weeks of lockdown, we spoke to Phoebe* who was being supported by Home-Start Better Start volunteer Amanda. Phoebe, 26, has now got to the point where she no longer feels she needs Amanda’s support. She took the time to talk to us about how she felt Amanda has helped her over the last […]
View post >Sharing Voices Bradford has received £91,000 to support fathers and male care givers of 0-3’s, with its Resilient Dads’ Programme, through Better Start Bradford’s Innovation Fund. Resilient Dads is a holistic personal development and parenting skills programme which aims to develop the skills and competence of fathers to support their toddlers social, emotional, and cognitive […]
View post >At the beginning of Spring 2020, life as we knew it changed quite dramatically for everyone due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Here at Better Start Bradford, we have been incredibly proud of how our family of projects and partners have come together to continue to offer support to families in need through a variety of […]
View post >Things may be a little different this year, but that is not stopping Better Start Bradford and partners from hosting Baby Week Bradford 2020. They are thrilled to announce a fun-packed and educational programme for the third year running, with more than 30 free events taking place from 9 – 13 November 2020. This year’s […]
View post >24-year-old mum Sherish was very concerned about her daughter Sarah, aged two, as she was not saying many words and those that she could say were not very clear. Thanks to Better Start Bradford’s Talking Together project, which supports two-year-olds in language development through play and conversation in the family home, Sherish is now happy […]
View post >Jane Longthorn, 42 is a volunteer doula with Bradford Doulas and when she started supporting her fifth mum, Aneesah, COVID-19 struck. Jane was worried that she would not be able to support Aneesah during her pregnancy in the same way that she had supported her other mums. In this blog we hear how Jane’s support […]
View post >When our regular antenatal provision was put on hold due to COVID-19, we decided to develop virtual classes for pregnant women across the district to ensure they continued to receive professional advice and support during lockdown. Our resident NHS Leadership Fellows, Dr Michelle Everitt and Dr Elizabeth Pal, along with our specialist midwife, Alison Brown, […]
View post >Nisa, 28, is mum to three children under the age of five. When her youngest son was born, she simply felt like she couldn’t face the world each day until support came in the form of Better Start Bradford’s Perinatal Support Service. The service has had such an impact on her life that she intends […]
View post >Mum of five, Sara Shah, 42, had thought everything was okay with her youngest son’s language development until she completed a routine questionnaire as part of the Talking Together assessment for two-year olds focusing on his speech and language development. Her young son was surrounded by lots of conversation by being part of a large […]
View post >The University of Leeds have received £109,000 through Better Start Bradford’s Innovation Fund to improve oral health for 0-3’s in Bowling and Barkerend, Bradford Moor and Little Horton by delivering their ‘Enhancing the HABIT’ project with the area’s Health Visitors as soon as COVID-19 allows. HABIT (Health visitors delivering Advice in Britain on Infant Toothbrushing) […]
View post >Infant Mental Health Awareness Week 2020 Infant Mental Health Awareness Week runs every June to highlight the importance of babies’ emotional wellbeing and development. This year’s theme is: seeing the world through babies’ eyes. Even as tiny newborns, babies want to connect, communicate and learn, and they experience lots of different emotions. The first 1001 […]
View post >During lockdown there was increased fear and anxiety around COVID-19, with some mums and mums-to-be with depression, anxiety and low mood feeling more isolated. As the Perinatal Support Service is a volunteer-led service, they have been very fortunate to have dedicated volunteers continuing to provide emotional support and a listening ear to mums over the […]
View post >Phoebe*, 26 had never felt so alone. She had left her family and friends in Huddersfield to move to Bradford with her husband and their two young sons aged two and three. Then COVID-19 struck! Thankfully Home-Start Better Start have been able to offer Phoebe ongoing support over the phone. Phoebe’s Story When we moved […]
View post >Four groups across the Better Start Bradford area are celebrating after receiving a share of £314,500 through Better Start Bradford’s Innovation Fund. The Innovation Fund launched last year and invited organisations to apply for funding of up to £100,000 to run innovative and creative projects which focus on parenting and the first years of life […]
View post >As part of the fifth-year celebrations of the A Better Start programme, Children and Young People Now interviewed representatives from each of the five sites, including our own Head of Programme, Gill Thornton, who spoke about the Personalised Midwifery Care Project delivered by the Clover Team pictured above. The foundations for a happy, healthy life […]
View post >When mum, Jannat*, 40 adopted her baby daughter she thought it would all be ‘plain sailing’ as she had already raised a teenage daughter. However, when her baby daughter turned into a toddler, the tantrums began… Jannat’s story My name is Jannat and I have two daughters aged 19 and two. I adopted my youngest […]
View post >In 2015, Better Start Bradford received funding from The National Lottery Community Fund to support pregnant women and families with children aged under four in Bowling and Barkerend, Bradford Moor and Little Horton. Five years on we have more than 20 projects just doing that. What is even more wonderful is that our projects are […]
View post >When 35-year-old Aisha* gave birth to her second child, she felt that the world was completely against her. Her caesarian scar was not healing, her baby son would not feed, he wouldn’t sleep, and it felt like her wider family were blaming her as she wanted to breastfeed rather than bottle feed. Although her husband […]
View post >We were thrilled to showcase our work with families when the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge visited Bradford on Wednesday 15 January 2020. The Royal couple visited the Khidmat Centre, BD7, where they joined grandparents, parents and their babies and toddlers from Little Dots, a music and play group funded by our Parents in the […]
View post >Happy New Year and welcome to a new decade! Since joining Better Start Bradford in April 2019 I have been getting to know the team, our projects, partners and families, and learning about the incredible work that is underway. I’ve also been getting to know Bradford better. I have recently bought a house and joined […]
View post >With a record number of votes for 2019 (over 81,000!), our finalists eagerly awaited the announcement of the Better Start Bradford 'Outstanding Contribution to Early Years' award. Find out who won.
View post >At the heart of Better Start Bradford, we have our Partnership Board who are responsible for making the key decisions regarding delivery of the programme. The Board is made up of representatives from the public and voluntary sectors in Bradford, joined by representatives from the local community. One such community representative is Salma Nawaz – […]
View post >After the success of the first ever Baby Week Bradford last year, Better Start Bradford and partners are thrilled to announce the programme for the second Baby Week Bradford, with more than 40 free events taking place from 4-10 November 2019. Babies are amazing. They’re born ready for everything and really deserve to be celebrated, […]
View post >People have many reasons for volunteering or working in the jobs that they do and for SHINE’s Family and Community Worker, Sam Thirkhill, her reasons are clear … she just wants to give back something to the local community. Through her own life experiences, she knows what a struggle parenting can be at times and […]
View post >Young mum, Shakila Ghafaripour, 22, certainly has her hands full with two children under the age of three. Her youngest son Rayaan is seven months old and her eldest Ayaan has just turned two. Shakila recently attended Better Start Bradford’s six-week HENRY Cooking for a Better Start programme and not only did she learn to […]
View post >Better Start Bradford have launched their latest campaign to improve oral health in 0-4 years olds in Bowling and Barkerend, Bradford Moor and Little Horton. Bradford has the highest rates of childhood tooth decay in Yorkshire, with more than 1 in 3 five-year old children having evidence of decayed or filled teeth. Poor oral health […]
View post >It was widely speculated in the press that Meghan Markle may have used a doula to support her and Prince Harry with the birth of baby Archie. However, one local Bradford mum had to have the support of four volunteer doulas when she gave birth! After being induced on the Friday night, the mum […]
View post >We’re delighted to have teamed up with the Telegraph and Argus and People Can for a fourth year to offer our special ‘Outstanding Contribution to Early Years’ award as part of the annual Community Stars awards! Nominations are now open and you have until Friday 4 October 2019 to submit your entry. The early years category […]
View post >Our Talking Together project has been shortlisted for the Working Together with Parents award in the 2019 Nursery World Awards. Talking Together, was developed by BHT Early Education and Training (BHT) as a response to the high levels of language deprivation they encountered in Bradford back in 2004, and is delivered to parents of children aged two years […]
View post >HENRY is an eight-week course supporting families with young children to develop healthy lifestyles. The course is also offered on a one-to-one basis for families that may struggle to attend fixed sessions. One single mum, Tasmida, 23, has really benefited from this approach, with Better Start Bradford’s Sally Teasdale delivering HENRY in Tasmida’s home. Tasmida’s […]
View post >When Reena found out she was pregnant, she was devastated. She simply did not want to be pregnant. The baby’s father didn’t want to know and she had no-one else to support her. Her mental health began to suffer and Reena began to have dark, suicidal thoughts. Thanks to the Perinatal Support Service, Reena is […]
View post >Becoming a Better Start Bradford volunteer Community Champion means different things to different people, but for Ali Nahani, 54, the role has given him a real sense of purpose and direction that he did not expect. In his own words, it has given him a ‘second family’. Here’s Ali’s story My name is Ali Nahani […]
View post >Infant Mental Health Awareness Week takes place next week, 10-14 June 2019, with this year’s focus being ‘Difficult Beginnings’. The birth of a baby can be an exciting time, but many women and their partners can experience difficulties during pregnancy, the birth and after the baby is born. Pre and post birth is a crucial time […]
View post >We are offering people in the Better Start Bradford area the opportunity to support its work with families as a volunteer Community Champion or a Community Board Member. Community Champions volunteer by helping out at Better Start Bradford’s fun-packed family events for families with children under four and spreading the word about all the exciting […]
View post >When mum of three, Donah Worsman, 37, spotted an advert for a volunteer doula with the Bradford Doulas, she jumped at the chance. Having had a difficult experience with the birth of her first child and then suffering from post-natal depression, she knew that she wanted to help women have really positive birth experiences. Donah’s […]
View post >We were thrilled when we learned that two of our projects have been working together and supporting an isolated single mum through her birth journey, creating a continuity of carer that she had not had previously.
View post >As we say ‘au revoir’ to our Programme Administrator, Sophie, 27, as she starts her maternity leave. We thought it would be interesting to find out whether working at Better Start Bradford has had an impact on her own pregnancy journey. We asked Sophie a few questions before she starts her motherhood adventure. Tell us […]
View post >Despite the grey, drizzly conditions of a late spring Bradford morning, 85 early years and health professionals learned how to shine at our first official Nurturing Knowledge event. Dr Happy – AKA Andy Cope of Art of Brilliance – challenged attendees to take on a society that does everything it can to make us believe […]
View post >Never has a team been so appropriately named! Better Start Bradford’s Family and Community Engagement (FACE) Team are indeed the ‘face’ of Better Start Bradford and can be found out and about in our community spreading our messaging to give babies the best start in life. We managed to catch them on a rare occasion […]
View post >We’re delighted to welcome Alex Spragg who joined this week as our new Programme Director. We thought we’d get to know Alex a bit better and asked her a few questions about herself. Talking about her background, Alex said: “I have over 20 years’ experience of working with children and families in a variety of […]
View post >Busy mum, Huma Mir, 32, certainly has her hands full with three lively sons under the age of ten. Her youngest son is two. When Huma came across the Incredible Years course, which promotes positive attachment between parents and their toddlers, she thought it would be the ideal opportunity to give her a better understanding […]
View post >When Zara Imtiaz*, 33, happened to overhear a conversation about the Cooking for a Better Start project, she knew that this was just what she needed to improve her youngest son’s eating habits. Zara’s story I was sitting in the waiting room of my four year old son’s school, when I overheard a lady telling […]
View post >We’re really excited to launch our Big Little Moments campaign! Over the next year – with the help of a friendly cast of characters – we’ll showcase 15 important behaviours that make a huge difference to a child’s development. Come and meet the Big Little Moments family via short fun video animations at: www.betterstartbradford.org.uk/biglittlemoments The […]
View post >Newby Primary School’s nursery and reception, at Ryan Street, are to receive a brand new sand play area this January thanks to the Better Place Project, which is part of the National Lottery funded Better Start Bradford programme. The naturalistic sand play zone, which will include equipment, sensory planting and large rocks, will encourage children […]
View post >Our Community Champions are Better Start Bradford’s biggest assets. They are rooted in their communities and provide trusted peer to peer motivation around our key aim to give children the best start in our area of Bradford. One of our Community Champions, Sundas Mughal, shares her champion journey with us. Sundas’ Journey When I became […]
View post >National Lottery funded Better Start Bradford has a new Innovation Fund for local groups to apply for funding to run and deliver new projects to help improve the lives of children in the Better Start Bradford area of Bowling and Barkerend, Bradford Moor and Little Horton. Between £2,500 to £100,000 is being made available as […]
View post >The votes were in and counted (over 16,000 were received) and it was finally time to announce the crème de la crème of Bradford's Community Stars and our 2018 Early Years’ winner. Find out who won.
View post >When seven-year-old Vipin Joshi arrived in this country he didn’t speak any English. Over his 45 plus years here in Bradford he’s run many successful business ventures, had a triple heart bypass, spent 14 years on Bradford Trident’s Board and developed a broad Yorkshire accent. Here Vipin shares why BD5 is the greatest place to […]
View post >At Better Start Bradford, we put the community at the centre of everything that we do. In July, the Men in the Early Years Conference took place in Bristol and was attended by Satnam Singh, one of our Community Board members and Ian Thorpe, one of our Programme Facilitators. Satnam’s overview The aim of this […]
View post >At our Shared Learning ‘Let’s Play’ event on Thursday 21 September 2017, Professor Fraser Brown shared his knowledge and research into building baby and toddler brains through play. Professor Brown is the first Professor of Playwork in the UK and and teaches on the BA (Hons) Playwork degree at Leeds Beckett University. In this blog […]
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