Over the past decade, ABSS has helped to develop an ecosystem of support for Southend’s families, facilitating project and service delivery, and fostering relationships between individuals, families, the community and practitioners
Hear from Southend’s families and practitioners about ABSS services and how participation has impacted them in these short videos
The evidence and learning from the 10-year ABSS programme is summarised within our “Stories of Impact”, a series of reports, videos, presentations and events which tell the story of ABSS alongside our insights, findings and recommendations for the future
ABSS was a ten-year (2015 to 2025) test-and-learn programme funded by the National Lottery Community Fund as part of the national A Better Start Programme. The Programme aimed to support pregnant women and families with children aged under four to give their children the best possible start in life. Working alongside local parents/carers, ABSS developed services to improve children’s diet and nutrition, social and emotional development, and language and communication, as well as build community resilience and achieve systems change.
This report provides an overview of how ABSS operated, the context of Southend, the design and delivery of the ABSS programme, and the ABSS approach to evaluation and reporting. It also describes the Stories of Impact series of reports, listing the key papers that are used to set out evidence of the impact of ABSS and learning from the programme.
Infant feeding lays the foundation for a healthy start in life. Breastfeeding offers vital nutrients, protects against illness, supports emotional bonding, and lowers obesity and future healthcare needs. Supporting mothers to start and continue breastfeeding can improve long-term health and socioeconomic outcomes.
ABSS infant feeding services focused on early intervention, boosting knowledge, confidence, and motivation to breastfeed. This support empowered women to make informed decisions about feeding and successfully transition their babies to solid foods.
The first 1001 days of life are vital for children’s development. Through universal and targeted support, A Better Start Southend (ABSS) helped families boost children’s communication, social skills, and emotional wellbeing—especially in areas facing deprivation. By working closely with parents/carers, early years settings, schools, and the community, ABSS improved school readiness and gave more children the best possible start.
Parental resilience is at the heart of giving children the best possible start in life. When parents and carers are supported to manage stress and adapt to change, they can create nurturing, secure environments and model healthy coping skills for their children. The ABSS programme focused on strengthening parental resilience—recognising that confident, emotionally available parents are key to positive child outcomes, especially in the face of adversity.
When families and communities are meaningfully involved in designing and delivering services, support becomes more relevant, responsive, and empowering—especially in areas facing deprivation. The ABSS programme put family voices at the centre, funding and supporting grassroots projects, fostering community leadership, and building trust. By treating parents as equal partners and investing in local solutions, ABSS strengthened community resilience, promoted inclusion, and delivered sustainable impact for families.
A Better Start Southend (ABSS) was a ten-year journey involving many organisations, families, and professionals working together to improve outcomes for young children and parents in Southend. This partnership thrived on strong relationships, a commitment to co-production, and learning from lived experience. The Inside Story of ABSS shares the key lessons, challenges, and successes from this ambitious programme—highlighting how embracing change, building trust, nurturing local solutions, and using robust evidence can help anyone planning or delivering complex, long-term community initiatives.
The COVID-19 pandemic created significant new challenges for families and young children, alongside the social care services that supported them. This particularly impacted Southend’s most deprived communities, widening gaps in development and wellbeing. The ABSS programme’s strong partnerships, flexible services, and trusted staff were crucial in supporting families during this crisis. This report shares how the COVID-19 pandemic affected children’s outcomes, how ABSS services responded, and what lessons can be learned to help build more resilient, accessible support in the future.
Sharing stories, experiences and projects from the ABSS programme
Funding for the ABSS programme ended in March 2025. Some projects came to a close at this point whilst other projects continued in a different form.
Navigate through our knowledge hub to find out what we have learned from the ABSS programme, alongside the tools and resources we used to get there.
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