A decade of A Better Start Southend

Ten years of supporting families and learning for the future

For ten years, A Better Start Southend (ABSS) has supported families, improved children’s wellbeing, and enhanced local services. As the programme ends in March 2025, we’re celebrating its achievements and planning for its lasting impact.

About A Better Start Southend

With a ten-year grant from the National Lottery Community Fund, ABSS worked with families of children under four years old, as well as expectant parents, to promote health, early development, and preparation for parenthood. Child development in children under four involves their growth, learning, and skill-building in areas such as movement, speech, brain development, and forming relationships. This early development is key to setting the stage for their future learning and overall wellbeing.

 

The programme supported families in specific wards in Southend, namely, Kursaal, Milton, Shoeburyness, Victoria, Westborough, and West Shoebury, with some services expanded to benefit families right across the city.

 

A significant part of ABSS’s work has been using the Lottery grant to set up projects and services. However, as the Lottery funding comes to an end, ABSS will no longer be able to fund these projects and services. This means they need to find funding from other sources to continue operating.

The impact of ABSS

ABSS has achieved significant outcomes for families:

 

Breastfeeding

More mothers in ABSS areas started breastfeeding and continued breastfeeding beyond six to eight weeks from birth (rising from 41% in 2015/16 to 55% in 2023/24).

 

Child development

Early Years Foundation Stage Profile (EYFSP) has shown significant improvement over time. The EYFSP is a statutory assessment carried out at the end of the reception year. It evaluates a child’s development in the areas of communication, physical, personal and social skills, literacy, and mathematics. Between 2015/16 and 2018/19, the percentage of children achieving a good level of development rose from 68% to 71%. The way the EYFSP is measured changed in 2020 and using the new metrics (which cannot be directly compared to the old), the percentage achieving a good level of development increased from 58% in 2021/22 to 64% in 2023/24, reflecting ongoing progress in early childhood education outcomes.

 

Communication and language

Early identification and support has helped reduce the need for intensive speech and language services. From 2017 to 2023, there was a drop in the number of children aged four and under needing intensive support at community health clinics in ABSS wards compared to non-ABSS areas.

 

Parental resilience

Parents reported feeling more confident, less stressed and better equipped to support their children’s social and emotional development.

 

Community strength

Families built strong support networks with other parents, forming peer networks. They shared learning and supported each other.

 

One impact report said, “After participating in ABSS services, parents had improved (their) parenting knowledge, confidence, and (had better) access to support.”

What was the key to driving better outcomes for our local communities?

ABSS has brought together key local partners, including the City Council, NHS organisations like Southend Hospital, the Early Years Alliance, and charities, creating a strong network. Strong partnerships take time, trust, and listening to the lived experiences of parents to design services that truly meet people’s needs.

 

Parents have been instrumental in shaping services as well as testing new ideas. Co-production with parents and families has been invaluable in developing meaningful support. When communities share knowledge and work together, they grow stronger and less dependent on professional services. These lessons have shaped the work of ABSS in building healthier, more connected communities.

 

Over the last 10 years, we’ve learned that real change goes beyond numbers. It’s about building confidence, resilience, and parenting skills to create lasting impact.

Key lessons learned

 

Here are some key lessons that we have learned through the 10 years of ABSS:

 

• Feeling valued by non-judgmental staff builds confidence.
• Encouraging connections with other parents promotes emotional well-being.
• Learning from experienced parents is a powerful way to gain knowledge.
• Communities that share knowledge are stronger and less reliant on professional services.

What happens next?

Here is an overview of the services that will continue in new and adapted forms, as well as those that will end in their current form, once the ABSS funding comes to an end:

 

YourFamily and Little Explorers creche

These services will continue to be delivered by the City Family Community Interest Company, an organisation set up to carry forward the learning and successes of A Better Start Southend (ABSS). This ensures families can continue to access valuable early years support in the city.

 

Parent and Family Hub

Starting April 2025, the ABSS Community and Family Hub will change and become The Playroom, a dedicated Early Years space run by SAVS and City Family CIC. It will offer free access for ABSS delivery partners and community groups to host courses, drop-ins, and specialist sessions.

 

The infant feeding lead and public health midwife

These roles will continue to provide important advice and guidance to the Council and NHS organisations, helping to improve how services are delivered. By offering valuable insights, their work helps make services more effective, accessible, and beneficial for everyone.

 

Infant feeding

The 3-to-4-month health visiting contact service, which provides families with support around feeding and starting solids, has been expanded and adapted into a 3-to-5-month contact service. This new service is available to all families across Southend and will be delivered by the Council’s Health Visiting Team.

 

Breastfeeding and Antenatal Services

The one-to-one breastfeeding service at Southend Hospital will continue. The breastfeeding service will no longer include home visits but will still provide vital support to new parents on the maternity ward. The Journey to Parenthood antenatal programme will continue until the 17th April 2025 when a review of service delivery will be conducted.

 

Community breastfeeding support

The Bump to Breast project, delivered by Southend YMCA, will conclude on March 31st, 2025. However, from April 1st, 2025, Southend YMCA will begin building on the valuable learning from the Bump to Breast project and will continue to offer support in the community. The Council will launch a new breastfeeding support service for the community, building on the successes of Bump to Breast, maintaining a strong focus on group-based support. It will be managed by the health visiting team.

 

Southend Supports Breastfeeding

This will also remain active, supporting local businesses and organisations in their efforts to normalise breastfeeding across the city. This initiative will continue to be led by the health visiting team.

 

Engaging with parents

Southend City Council will remain dedicated to championing parental involvement and will be testing out a different kind of service and learning about what works best. This will ensure the voice of parents continues to influence service development and delivery.

 

Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Support

The Peer Support Workers for Social and Communication Needs service will conclude in June. However, both they and the groups delivered by Chaos & Calm will draw on their valuable experience and knowledge as they seek funding to continue supporting families in the future. Families with young children who have special educational needs will have access to support provided by the Council’s education service, which are designed to empower families and support children’s development.

 

Storysacks

Storysacks provide fun, interactive ways to encourage early literacy and a love of reading. This popular resource has now moved into Southend Libraries, where it is available for all families with young children across the city.

 

Food On Our Doorstep (FOOD) club

The FOOD Club will continue with the support from Southend City Council, giving families access to affordable, nutritious food

 

Specialist Perinatal mental health visiting service

This service will conclude after June 2025. The Local Maternity and Neonatal System (LMNS) is overseeing the implementation of the NHSE three-year delivery plan for maternity and neonatal services as part of its transformation work. This includes commissioning improved perinatal mental health services. Learning from the ABSS service will also inform the work of the pan Essex Specialist Perinatal Mental Health services, Health Visiting services and other local services to ensure parents with mild to moderate mental health needs during and after pregnancy are still identified and supported.

 

Families Growing Together

The Families Growing Together programme will evolve into innovative forest school activities, providing exciting opportunities for families across the whole of Southend

 

Independent Domestic Violence advisors

Safe Steps will continue to deliver information and specialist services across Greater Essex through Essex Compass. Together, Changing Pathways and Safe Steps will deliver victim support in the community

 

Speech and language

The City Family Talking Transitions service will evolve over the next few months but will end in its current format. The Let’s Talk service will also conclude. Insights from ABSS’s work in communication and early language will help shape the future of services in mid and south Essex.

 

Work Skills

The Work Skills service will end. The experience, knowledge and learning from the Work Skills service will continue to influence the delivery and development of new services so that the needs of parents in the earliest years of their child’s life are at the forefront of service design.

We've created a table that sets out further details about the services commissioned by ABSS and the alternative services or methods of delivery that will be in place beyond March 2025

Download the table of information

Support beyond March 2025

 

The ABSS programme and its funding will come to an end on 31^st March 2025. To learn more about the children’s services available across Southend and how you can access the support you need, City Family offers an information and guidance service. Friendly navigators are available to assist families in finding and connecting with the right services to meet their needs. This can be accessed via the City Family website or by phone:

 

• Tel: 01702 844118
• Web:  cityfamily.org.uk

 

The Livewell Southend website, along with the Local Offer specifically designed for children with SEND, is managed by Southend City Council and serves as an essential tool for accessing information about children’s services and support.

 

• Web:  livewellsouthend.com
• Web:  livewellsouthend.com/send-local-offer

 

You can also find information online about Mental health support during and after pregnancy – Mid and South Essex Integrated Care System

Looking ahead

 

Over the next year, the City Council will continue to work with partners and families to assess the city’s needs and develop services to give parents, babies, and children the best possible start in life. Together, we’ve achieved so much, and we’re excited to see how these lessons and services will continue to benefit families in Southend for years to come.

 

Tom Abell, Chief Executive Officer, of NHS Mid and South Essex Integrated Care Board says,

 

“A Better Start Southend has made a real impact to families in Southend, and I’d like to thank everyone who has been involved. We are committed to ensuring that the learning from this programme continues to guide our work with our partners across health and care to ensure every child has the best start in life. The NHS in mid and south Essex is evolving to ensure care remains safe, effective, and financially sustainable for the future. Everyone; patients, carers, staff and communities will have a role in making this happen.”

To learn more about the future of ABSS services and specific details about services, visit our Beyond ABSS webpage.

Visit Beyond ABSS