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Engaging Dads and Male Carers

Baby Week Bradford: Adventure So Far – Links

Engaging Dads and Male Carers

Baby Week Bradford 2018-2025: The Adventure So Far

The Journey of the Better Start Bradford Baby

Happy Mum, Happy Bump

Evaluation Report – Cooking for a Better Start

Evaluation Report – ESOL for Pregnancy/ESOL with Infants

Evaluation Report – Bradford Doulas

Evaluation Report – HAPPY

Evaluation Report – MECSH

Evaluation Report – Family Nurse Partnership

Evaluation Report – I CAN

Evaluation Report – Better Start Imagine

Evaluation Report – Little Minds Matter

Evaluation Report – Baby Steps

Evaluation Report – HENRY

Evaluation Report – Home Start Better Start

Evaluation Report – Breastfeeding Support Project

Evaluation Report – Perinatal Support Service

Evaluation Report – Personalised Midwifery Project

Evaluation Report – Incredible Years

Evaluation Report – Forest School Play Project

Evaluation Report – Better Place

Evaluation Report – Talking Together

Evaluation Report – OIder Yet Wiser

Evaluation Report – Neighbourhoods Project

Evaluation Report – Pre-Schoolers in the Playground

Evaluation Report – Welcome to the World

Project Impact Report – Happy Early Years (HEY!) Fund

Project Impact Report – Talking Together

Project Impact Report – Personalised Midwifery Project

Project Impact Report – Perinatal Support Service

Project Impact Report – Home Start Better Start

Project Impact Report – HENRY

Project Impact Report – Baby Steps

Project Impact Report – Little Minds Matter

Project Impact Report – Breastfeeding Support Project

Project Impact Report – Incredible Years

Project Impact Report – Forest School Play Project

Project Impact Report – Better Place

Baby Week Bradford 2018-2025: The Adventure So Far…

In celebration and recognition of bringing Baby Week to Bradford and developing it over 8 fantastic years, we're sharing our journey, experiences and top tips for anyone who might be interested in taking on the challenge

Holding Time Milk Line launched in Baby Week Bradford

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.

Baby Week Bradford is back for its 8th year!

Baby Week Bradford is back for the 8th year from 14-20 November 2025, and this time it’s all about YOU, with Caring for You…Caring for Baby.

Better data in Bradford

Better data in Bradford

Richard Scholes provides an insightful overview of the implementation and impact of TPP’s SystmOne clinical software, while highlighting the challenges, successes, and transformative outcomes of using the software.

Read the Autumn 2025 Edition of News Update

Find out all about the future for Better Start Bradford and see the new family sculpture that proudly represents the thousands of individuals we've supported between 2015-2025.

Murals bring colour and community spirit to Esholt caravan site

Residents at the Esholt caravan site are celebrating the arrival of new murals that have transformed the entrance into a vibrant, welcoming space, thanks to Better Place.

Wiggle Your Way Round Baby Week Bradford 2025

Go on a caring adventure with your little ones this Baby Week Bradford - and all year round - with 6 low-cost/no-cost activities to try out...

Better Start Bradford celebrates 10 years of collaboration, research, and impact at two-day conference

Better Start Bradford and Born in Bradford were proud to host a special two-day conference celebrating 10 years of partnership, community collaboration, and positive impact.

Play Wales conference: a playful day of ideas, conversations and inspiration

Better Place and Better Start Bradford were invited to speak and run workshops at the Play Wales conference in Cardiff on Wednesday 15 October 2025 - and what a day it was!

Families celebrate a decade of Better Start Bradford at Family Fun Event

Families and local organisations turned out in force to celebrate 10 years of Better Start Bradford at a special family fun day!

Baby Week Bradford Promotional Resources 2025

Download the Baby Week Bradford logo, social media images, poster templates and other promotional resources

Embedding prevention and early intervention in midwifery: Better Start Bradford’s legacy

Embedding prevention and early intervention in midwifery: Better Start Bradford’s legacy

Rachel Middleton looks at how Better Start Bradford is supporting University of Bradford midwifery students to embed key messages in prevention and early intervention

Ready Steady Grow

Friday 12th December 2025 @ 9:15 am – 10:15 am –

Ready Steady Grow

Friday 19th December 2025 @ 9:15 am – 10:15 am –

Better Start Bradford and Born in Bradford Conference

CP5 Maternity Circle (Millside)

Thursday 11th December 2025 @ 10:00 am – 11:30 am –

CP5 Maternity Circle (Millside)

Thursday 18th December 2025 @ 10:00 am – 11:30 am –

Museums for Play And Growth

Wednesday 17th December 2025 @ 10:30 am – 12:30 pm –

Baby Week Bradford 2025

We invite you all to make time for self care from 14-20 November for Baby Week Bradford 2025! Register your event or sign up for updates here...

Project Impact Reports: References and Links

References and links from Better Start Bradford's Project Impact Reports 2015 to 2025

Our response to the Government’s Best Start in Life strategy & 10 Year Health Plan for England

Better Start Bradford's response to the Government releasing their ‘Giving Every Child the Best Start in Life ‘ strategy and their 10 Year Health Plan for England: fit for the future

CP5 Maternity Circle (Community Works)

Monday 15th December 2025 @ 12:30 pm – 2:00 pm –

Bradford South Baby Circles Drop-In

Thursday 11th December 2025 @ 12:30 pm – 2:00 pm –

Bradford South Baby Circles Drop-In

Thursday 18th December 2025 @ 12:30 pm – 2:00 pm –

Read the Summer 2025 edition of News Update

Find out all about the future for Better Start Bradford and see the new family sculpture that proudly represents the thousands of individuals we've supported between 2015-2025.

Home-Start Bradford Volunteer Preparation Course

Monday 19th January 2026 @ 9:45 am – 2:00 pm –

New family sculpture symbolises thousands of Better Start Bradford families

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.

Winner of Outstanding Contribution to Earliest Years Community Stars Award 2025

In Volunteers Week 2025, Bradford's finest volunteer stars came together to find out who would be this year's winners of the prestigious Community Stars Awards.

A Better Start National Evaluation: Third Annual Report

The Impact of Better Place Bradford’s Nurture Naturelets project

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.

Better Place’s Lovely Bug Ball

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.

Project on a Page – Bradford Doulas

Project on a Page – Perinatal Support Service

Project on a Page – ESOL for Pregnancy/ESOL with Infants

Project on a Page – Incredible Years

Project on a Page – Better Start Imagine

Project on a Page – HENRY

Project on a Page – Baby Steps

Project on a Page – Home Start Better Start

Project on a Page – Cooking for a Better Start

Project on a Page – Personalised Midwifery Project

Project on a Page – HAPPY

Project on a Page – Born in Bradford’s Better Start (BiBBS)

Project on a Page – Little Minds Matter

Project on a Page – Talking Together

Project on a Page – I CAN

Project on a Page – Forest School Play Project

Project on a Page – Better Place

Project on a Page – MECSH

Project on a Page – Family Nurse Partnership

Project on a Page – Breastfeeding Support Project

Our Volunteer Heroes

Over 300 volunteers have given their time and skills to make a real, lasting difference to families in Bowling and Barkerend, Bradford Moor and Little Horton since the start of the Better Start Bradford programme.

Sensory Art Adventures

Funded through the Happy Early Years (HEY!) Fund, Sensory Art Adventures provided sessions using various art activities for families with 0-3s and expectant parents.

Tiny Toes

Grandmother of 13, Shaheena received £2,500 to deliver a soft play group at Horton Park Primary School.

Toddle Ball

Toddle Ball received £1,705 to deliver fun and engaging football sessions for families with 0-4s.

Where The Wild Things Are

Where the Wild Things Are received £2,499 to deliver a six-week stay and learn group offering families with 0-4s the opportunity to meet live animals up close.

Better Place Bradford Branching Out

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.

Ten Top Tips for Co-designing Community Spaces that Nurture

Wonder Tots

Wonder Tots received £2,500 to offer a stay and learn group to give young children a head start before joining nursery education in a fun, interactive and safe environment.

Imagination Tree

Imagination Tree received £2,232 to deliver fun and playful sessions with creative storytelling activities by exploring different stories and bringing them to life with interactive play.

The Happy Early Years (HEY!) Fund

The Happy Early Years (HEY!) Fund enabled parents and carers in the Better Start Bradford area to apply for up to £2,500 to develop ideas and initiatives for local families and their 0-3s.

Happy Time

Happy Time received £2,346 to offer an educational outdoor group with various activities for parents and children including nature play, sensory play, messy play and much more.

Little Farmers

Little Farmers received £2,204 to offer various activities for children and parents, centred around learning about farm animals. Activities included crafts, dancing, messy play, rhymes, singing, stories and much more.

Thornbury Tots

Thornbury Tots received £2030 to offer various activities for children and parents, including soft play, sensory play, messy play, singing, dancing and exercise.

HIDVA (Hospital Independent Domestic Violence Advocate) Impact Report

Family Support in the Bradford District

Explore some of the best places to get free support across the Bradford district if you're expecting a baby or have young children.

Little Minds Matter

Little Minds Matter is a specialised parent-infant relationship service working with infants, their families, and associated professional networks. It formed part of the Better Start Bradford programme from 2018 to 2024.

Born in Bradford’s Better Start (BiBBS)

Born in Bradford’s Better Start (BiBBS) is a birth cohort study that aims to understand the effects of the early-life interventions led by Better Start Bradford on children’s health and development.

ESOL for Pregnancy and ESOL with Infants

ESOL for Pregnancy was an embedded English course helping women develop their language skills. ESOL with Infants was a follow-on project helping parents and carers develop their language skills through sharing books.

Bradford Doulas

Acting as a ‘professional friend’, volunteer doulas helped pregnant women and birthing people navigate their pregnancy journey and make positive choices as part of the Better Start Bradford programme from 2017 to 2024.

Family Nurse Partnership

Family Nurse Partnership (FNP) is an evidence-based, preventative programme for first-time parents. It was delivered as part of the Better Start Bradford programme from 2016 to 2019.

MECSH

MECSH is a programme of regular home visits with the same Health Visitor. Originally developed in Australia, it was delivered as part of the Better Start Bradford programme from 2021 to 2023.

Innovation Fund

The Innovation Fund enabled organisations to pilot new, innovative approaches robustly over a period of a year, with potential for them to become a fully-fledged Better Start Bradford project.

Resilient Dads

Resilient Dads is a holistic personal development and parenting skills programme aiming to develop the skills and competence of dads/male carers to support the social, emotional, and cognitive development of their 0-3s.

The Play Gym and Hubert St Kitchen

The Play Gym and Hubert St. Kitchen provides a fun, free, creative play space for young children, and provides parents/carers the opportunity to access support, practical training and advice. 

HIDVA (Hospital Independent Domestic Violence Advocate)

The HIDVA project identifies victims at early stages of domestic abuse and intervenes to provide multiagency support, while upskilling practitioners on how to recognise and respond to domestic abuse.

Older Yet Wiser

Older Yet Wiser received funding to deliver a series of workshops for grandparents with child-caring responsibilities to enable them to contribute to their grandchildren’s social and emotional wellbeing.

Growing Together

Horton Community Farm and Grow To School joined forces to create their Growing Together project to bring parents/carers and young children together to learn to grow, cook and eat their own produce.

Enhancing the HABIT

The University of Leeds received funding to improve oral health for 0-3s to deliver their ‘Enhancing the HABIT’ oral health intervention with the area’s Health Visitors.

Better Place Bradford

The Better Place project has transformed parks and green spaces for the benefit of families with play equipment and facilities specifically designed for 0-3s, right across the Better Start Bradford area.

Breastfeeding Support Project

The Breastfeeding Support Project helped families meet their breastfeeding goals through trained, employed peer supporters. It was delivered as part of the Better Start Bradford programme from 2018 to 2024.

Incredible Years (Toddler Basic)

Incredible Years (Toddler Basic) is an established evidence-based parenting programme, promoting positive attachment. It was delivered as part of the Better Start Bradford programme from 2018 to 2024.

Home-Start Better Start

Home-Start Better Start is a peer support intervention, providing emotional and practical support to families with 0-3 year olds, and ran as part of the Better Start Bradford programme from 2017 to 2024.

HAPPY

HAPPY aimed to reduce childhood obesity risk by targeting an at-risk group - during and after pregnancy - by promoting healthy behaviours. It was part of the Better Start Bradford programme from 2018 to 2022.

Baby Steps

Baby Steps is a relationships-based perinatal parent education programme. It was delivered as part of the Better Start Bradford programme from 2018 to 2024.

Read the February edition of News Update

Find out all about the HEY! Fund celebration, plus a celebration of 10 years of A Better Start

I CAN

I CAN encompassed training sessions, guidance and support for childcare practitioners, designed to improve the language environment for young children attending early years settings.

Talking Together

Talking Together was designed to improve the home learning environment for children aged 2 who are at risk of language development delay, and formed part of the Better Start Bradford programme from 2015 to 2024.

HENRY Healthy Families

HENRY’s Healthy Families programme guides groups of parents and carers towards healthier habits for the whole family and was part of the Better Start Bradford programme from 2016 to 2024.

Forest School Play Project

The Forest School Play Project was an adventurous nature-based play programme that has brought an array of learning opportunities for young children, their families and the early years workforce

Cooking for a Better Start

Cooking for a Better Start offered practical cooking sessions to parents/carers of children aged 0-3 years, to build knowledge and skills around cooking low-cost, healthy meals from scratch, and healthy eating

Perinatal Support Service

The Perinatal Support Service helped pregnant women and women with babies who were suffering/at risk from mild-moderate mental health issues, from 2015 to 2024.

Better Start Imagine

Better Start Imagine gifted over 275,000 books to children aged 0-3 from 2016 to 2024, to promote and model the importance of sharing books with young children.

Our HEY! Fund Journey

Celebrating our 160 parent-led HEY! Fund groups

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.

Personalised Midwifery Project

Our Personalised Midwifery Project provided women and their families with personalised, continuous care before, during and after the birth of their baby. It ran from 2015 to 2024.

Catch up with our January newsletter

Watch the Better Place project's new film, find out about how we're developing the future workforce, and read the latest insight report from our national partnership

A Better Start Through Place-Based Partnerships

Family Hubs and Start for Life

Across the Bradford district, Family Hubs support families with children and young people of all ages and at every stage of family life. Start for Life provides extra support to families with young children.

Talking Bradford

Talking Bradford is a step-by-step guide to help parents and carers support their young children with speech, language and communication development.

Happy New Year 2025 from Gill

Our Director, Gill Thornton, kicks off our news articles for 2025 with her reflections of 2024 and enthusiasm and excitement for the journey this final year of our programme will take

Hooray for Play: 18 November 2024

Download the Baby Week Bradford logo, social media images and other promotional resources

Explore our December newsletter

Look back at Baby Week Bradford 2024, find out about some fantastic funding news from some of our projects, and enjoy some articles and recent learning webinars

Better Place on Tour

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.

A Better Start Through Prevention and Early Intervention

Collective Change: Learning from A Better Start – doing things differently for babies, children and families

HABIT (Health visitors delivering Advice in Britain on Infant Toothbrushing)

Holding Time Chair unveiled at Bowling Park

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.

Come Outside: A Better Place Film

Mobilising Early Years Research for a Brighter Future: Social and Emotional Wellbeing

Mobilising Early Years Research for a Brighter Future: Language and Communication

Mobilising Early Years Research for a Brighter Future: Health, Nutrition and Green Space

12 Holly Jolly Moments

It's the festive season and we've pulled together 12 Holly Jolly Moments to share with you from our Better Start Bradford journey 2015-2025

Why Playful Starts Make for Happy Hearts

Better Stars Bradford – a project celebration event

As we approach the conclusion of the 10-year Better Start Bradford programme in 2025, we held the first in a series of events to share our learning and celebrate the programme's achievements.

Delivering early years programmes with Bradford museums

Delivering early years programmes with Bradford Museums

Charlotte Woodhouse, Early Years Facilitator, shares how Better Start Bradford worked with Bradford Museums and Galleries to develop their early years offer.

Collective Change – Learning from A Better Start: Introduction by Elliott Rae and the A Better Start Directors

Collective Change – Learning from A Better Start: Systems Change

Collective Change – Learning from A Better Start: Change in Services

Collective Change – Learning from A Better Start: Community Engagement

Collective Change – Learning from A Better Start: Workforce Change

Collective Change – Learning from A Better Start: Individual Change

Collective Change: Learning from A Better Start – National Evaluation

Forest School Play Project research poster

Baby Week Bradford: a tool for health promotion, system change and celebration amid a challenging landscape

Baby Week Bradford 2024

We invite you all to make room for play from 14-20 November for Baby Week Bradford 2024! Programme of event and activities now live...

The benefits of outdoor play sessions for young families in Bradford

The benefits of outdoor play sessions for young families in Bradford

Adele Adams, Project Manager of the Better Place project, looks at how their outdoor play sessions helped a young local family.

Celebrating six years of the Forest School Play Project

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.

The Forest School Play Project: A Celebration

Better Place secures funding for habitat ‘stepping stones’

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.

Working with dads in Bradford

Shummel Uddin, Community Engagement Manager, shares insights into our work with dads

Getting outdoors with twins!

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.

Working with dads in Bradford

A Better Start National Evaluation: Second Annual Report

A Better Start National Evaluation Themed Annual Report: Parental Engagement

A Better Start – Local evidence synthesis 1: implementation

Guy Dove: How I support the Better Start Bradford team

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.

Lynne Walker’s Better Start Bradford journey with the Perinatal Support Service

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.

Neighbourhoods Project

The Neighbourhoods Project ran from 2019 to optimise recruitment into Better Start Bradford projects from under-represented groups, and to ensure that the programme messages reached as many families as possible.

At the heart of our Better Start Bradford Neighbourhoods

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.

Celebrating Better Start Bradford’s Neighbourhoods Project

Baby Week Bradford

Baby Week Bradford began in 2018. Find out more about this annual celebration of babies and all those who care for them, and look back at previous years' activities and resources.

You Are Your Baby’s Best Toy

Everything you do together helps your baby’s brain develop. It’s never too early to start - from bump, to babies to toddlers. Your baby even recognises family voices before they are born.

Five Minutes with Better Place’s Haleema

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.

Podcast episode: Second annual update from A Better Start – national evaluation

My doula journey

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.

A better start through maternity and antenatal care

How ESOL is empowering expectant and new mums

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.

Embedding maternity support workers in a personalised midwifery project

Embedding maternity support workers in a personalised midwifery project

We’re over the moon to welcome you to our new website! We invite you to have a look around…

Getting outdoors with Better Start Bradford

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.