Better Start
banner
better-start.bsky.social
Better Start
@better-start.bsky.social
𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗱𝘀

Better Start is a team of early child development experts driven by a shared vision of real and lasting change for childhoods, from pregnancy to starting school. https://betterstart.org.uk/
𝐓𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐭𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐨𝐧 𝐬𝐚𝐥𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔!

🗓️ Thursday March 5, 2026
🕘 9am – 5pm
📍 Blackpool Football Club, FY1 6JJ
🎟️ 𝐄𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐲 𝐁𝐢𝐫𝐝: £75 (until 31 Dec 2025)
🔗 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞: betterstart.org.uk/conference/

We can't wait to welcome you all!
October 23, 2025 at 12:54 PM
📣 𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐛𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐧!
We’re inviting submissions for 𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝐵𝑒𝑡𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑆𝑡𝑎𝑟𝑡 𝐶𝑜𝑛𝑓𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑒 in Blackpool, 5th March 2026 – a full-day event spotlighting health and social inequalities and, crucially, ways we can all improve the wellbeing of babies, children, families, and communities across the UK.
September 10, 2025 at 10:32 AM
JOB ALERT!

A new exciting opportunity for a new 𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗿𝗲𝗻'𝘀 𝗦𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗣𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗲𝗿 to join our existing Blackpool Early Years Team at Better Start.

For more information: lnkd.in/epZbzBqR
July 15, 2025 at 9:22 AM
Check out our first ever edition of The Better Start Briefing! Our new newsletter features the latest about what we've been up to in the world of #EarlyYears, as well as a welcome message from our Director Clare Law.
You can subscribe here>> www.linkedin.com/pulse/welcom...
Welcome from Clare
Clare Law, Director of Better Start Welcome to the first edition of our quarterly newsletter, a national resource where we highlight our latest news and feature analysis of some of the most current to...
www.linkedin.com
June 24, 2025 at 8:06 AM
We invited BBC News to one of our outdoor events and provided expert comment on a report published today by Centre for Young Lives, ‘𝘌𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘗𝘭𝘢𝘺 𝘍𝘰𝘳: 𝘈 𝘗𝘭𝘢𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘌𝘯𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘌𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘊𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘌𝘯𝘨𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘊𝘢𝘯 𝘗𝘭𝘢𝘺’. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Ban 'no ball games' signs to get children off devices, play experts say
Experts say outdoor play in England has declined by 50% and are calling for urgent change.
www.bbc.co.uk
June 11, 2025 at 8:32 AM
We were frustrated to see a recent article on tooth decay in #Blackpool not include the work being done locally to tackle early years oral health improvement.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
June 10, 2025 at 10:33 AM
@unicefmedia.bsky.social's timely report, 𝘏𝘦𝘭𝘥 𝘉𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘵: 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘐𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘤𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘋𝘦𝘱𝘳𝘪𝘷𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘯 𝘌𝘢𝘳𝘭𝘺 𝘊𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘩𝘰𝘰𝘥’ confirms that too many children across the UK do not have access to the conditions they need to thrive - poverty and deprivation are negatively impacting their chances in life.
June 10, 2025 at 10:27 AM
Clare Law, Director at Better Start providing expert early years comment today at one of our outdoor literacy events. Can't wait to share when the piece goes live #EarlyYears #RealChangeForChildhoods #Media
June 6, 2025 at 3:42 PM
Throughout June, we have exciting training sessions coming up for professionals looking to learn new skills!

All sessions will take place at the Solaris Centre in #Blackpool.

To book your slot, please email [email protected] today. 🧵 1/4
May 27, 2025 at 10:52 AM
Our director Clare Law has shared her thoughts on @ncb.org.uk's summit, which she attended last week. #NCBsummit
Beyond the NCB Summit: Building A Better Start for every child
In the latest in our reflections from the NCB Summit, Clare Law, Director of Blackpool Better Start, celebrates the quiet, transformative power of collaboration.
www.ncb.org.uk
May 23, 2025 at 10:28 AM
We are delighted to share that the exciting news that the Parent-Infant Foundation has secured over £1 million from the National Lottery Community Fund to create the National Parent-Infant Relationship (PAIR) Framework!
We're delighted to announce we've been awarded more than £1 million from The National Lottery Community Fund to create a new National Parent-Infant Relationship (PAIR) Framework!
Working with delivery partners Ideas Alliance & Anna Freud, we can't wait to get started!
Details👉 bit.ly/4jF3G75
May 2, 2025 at 9:29 AM
Our very own Vicki Morgan and Dr Lauren Wolfenden presented at University of Central Lancashire's Maternal, Parental and Infant Nutrition and Nurture Unit (MAINN) Conference in Grange-over-Sands this afternoon.

Thank you to everyone who joined the session!

@vickimorgs.bsky.social @uclan.ac.uk
April 30, 2025 at 4:07 PM
This year, we're celebrating a decade of Better Start in Blackpool. In case you missed it, why not watch our 10-year celebration film? It showcases some of the amazing things the Blackpool early years’ system has accomplished, with our support, during that time.
April 30, 2025 at 12:44 PM
We are presenting at the @uclan.ac.uk Maternal, Parental and Infant Nutrition and Nurture Unit (MAINN) Conference tomorrow, sharing our learning on our holistic infant feeding pathway in #Blackpool.
April 29, 2025 at 12:34 PM
Reposted by Better Start
We @better-start.bsky.social are attending & presenting @uclan.ac.uk MAINN conference this week. Myself & team will be sharing our holistic approach to infant feeding, we’ve increased breastfeeding rates by 10% & how babies living in care are being fed by breastmilk.
April 29, 2025 at 8:54 AM
𝗝𝗼𝗶𝗻 𝘂𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮 𝗙𝗥𝗘𝗘 𝟭-𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗿 '𝗹𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗵 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻'.
𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬 𝘉𝘢𝘣𝘺, 𝘊𝘢𝘱𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘝𝘰𝘪𝘤𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘉𝘢𝘣𝘺: 𝘐𝘯 𝘗𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘦.

𝗗𝗮𝘁𝗲: 𝗧𝘂𝗲𝘀𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝟭𝟬𝘁𝗵 𝗝𝘂𝗻𝗲, 𝟭𝟮-𝟭𝗽𝗺
𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗙𝗥𝗘𝗘 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲> bit.ly/ThinkBaby25
April 25, 2025 at 11:20 AM
Looking for a new challenge? Join our team!

Senior Data Analyst - help make sure every baby has the best start in life, by ensuring projects are monitored, and population and individual impact understood.

More info: bit.ly/4itLWKs
Apply by: 9 May 2025
Location: Blackpool (Hybrid)
April 24, 2025 at 9:48 AM
Today, the @houseoflords.parliament.uk will debate a new report from the Food, Diet and Obesity Committee: 'Recipe for health: a plan to fix our broken food system'.
March 28, 2025 at 10:01 AM
At Better Start, we're excited to read about England's new 'school readiness skills list' endorsed by the education secretary. For the last two years we have worked collaboratively with parents, #EarlyYears settings, schools and the community to develop a play-based approach to #SchoolReadiness
🧵1/4
March 12, 2025 at 11:58 AM
Reposted by Better Start
To mark #SaferSleepWeek from 10–16 March, we are pleased to share this Voices blog by Jenny Ward, CEO of The Lullaby Trust, who shares new and updated, expert information and how #HealthVisitors can help.
buff.ly/toxBgsX
#HeathVisiting
March 10, 2025 at 11:38 AM
We've been in the studio to capture the experience of delivering The Brain Architecture Game to thousands of Blackpool's current/future workforce. Our trainers Jo Mills & Rebecca Calvert have delivered the game for seven years and had a wealth of invaluable insights to share with future trainers.
March 12, 2025 at 11:15 AM
Reposted by Better Start
#IMHAW2025 will highlight the crucial job that specialised teams and services do, both supporting babies and their families, and helping local services to join-up and ensure someone is always holding the baby! Keep an eye on our website for updates as we get closer to June 👇 bit.ly/42nUI63 🧵3/3
IMHAW - Parent-Infant Foundation
Infant Mental Health Awareness Week Infant Mental Health Awareness Week 2025 - Who is holding the baby? Infant Mental Health Awareness Week (IMHAW) 2025 is taking place from 9th - 15th June 2025 and t...
bit.ly
March 6, 2025 at 1:48 PM
Reposted by Better Start
#IMHAW2025 #Whoisholdingthebaby Our research shows a growing number of parent-infant teams. But in many areas, there is still no support. #IMHAW will highlight how important these services are, and urge decision makers to understand ‘who is holding the baby’ in their area. 🧵 2/3
March 6, 2025 at 1:48 PM
It's always a privilege to support Infant Mental Health Awareness Week and highlight the importance of babies' mental health and wellbeing, an often overlooked and misunderstood subject.

Save the date 🗓️ June 9th - 15th
#IMHAW2025
📢#IMHAW2025 Theme launched!
This year's Infant Mental Health Awareness Week (9th-15th June) will be asking, Who is holding the baby?
#IMHAW2025 will shine a light on the gaps in services that support vulnerable babies & their families.

Details👉bit.ly/42nUI63
🧵1/2
March 11, 2025 at 10:57 AM
Colleagues from Better Start are at British Early Childhood Education Research Association (BECERA) today, presenting on #SchoolReadiness.
February 17, 2025 at 3:57 PM