A Better Start Southend is about using new ways of thinking to solve some of the problems that have affected local children and families for years. We are a 10 year, National Lottery Community Funded Programme that started life in 2015.
We are a partnership of local organisations who have years of experience working with families and young children. Most importantly, we are working with local parents and carers to find out what needs to change to give Southend’s children the best start in life.
We focus on three specific areas of a child’s development; diet and nutrition, social and emotional and communication and language. Additionally, we focus on building community resilience and implementing system change.
Parents and carers are involved every step of the way; raising the problems that need solving, coming up with answers where possible, and helping us test ideas.
We want Southend to be known as the best place in the country to bring up a child and be a parent. We want to create a community that welcomes every baby and ensures they have the best start possible. We are doing this through major system change and delivery of science and evidence-based support, transforming maternity care, and providing parental support. Our aim is to improve children’s and families’ lives, through focusing on strengths and providing the support families need, where and when they need them.
If we’re going to create a change that lasts long after A Better Start is over, we need to learn from everything we do. That’s why every project and service we support starts out small and is tested, improved and tested again until we’re sure it works for our local community. To achieve this we are running a range of free projects and services for parents, carers, families and children aged 0-3 living in six local wards – Kursaal, Milton, Shoeburyness, Victoria, Westborough and West Shoebury. Our findings help to shape services across the whole of Southend.
Our values shape the way we work. As an organisation we are:
You can read more about A Better Start Southend’s stance on anti-racism HERE.