Projects

At A Better Start Southend we want to do things differently through the design and delivery of services that make a real difference to parents and children.

 

We want to find new ways to think about services for families by testing approaches that have worked well in other areas or may never have been tried before.

 

Our Focus Is:

 

• Based on ideas that have worked elsewhere, so we can see if they work in Southend.
• Based on the most recent scientific thinking, so we can see if they work in practice.
• Driven by creative, collaborative ideas.

Beyond ABSS: What Next?

A decade of A Better Start Southend: Ten years of supporting families and learning for the future

 

As the funding for the A Better Start Southend (ABSS) programme ends in March 2025, we’re planning for the future of our services.

Some projects may get new funding to carry on in new and different ways. Other projects will come to an end in their current form.

For updates on each project beyond March 2025, please hover over their image box. You can click ‘more information’ to learn more about each project too.

 

To learn more about ABSS programme changes beyond 31 st March 2025, by visiting the Beyond ABSS webpage.

We've created a poster to help show how ABSS projects will change beyond March 2025.

View the Poster here

Our Current Projects Are:

Beyond ABSS update:

The 3-to-5-Month Contact service will expand to support all families across Southend, delivered by the Council’s Health Visiting Team.

3-5 Month Health Visitor Contact

More information

Beyond ABSS update:

Southend YMCA will deliver breastfeeding support initially through one group per week plus online support, under a new brand name. Southend City Council will offer a new group-based support service through the Health Visiting Team.

‘Bump to Breast’ Group-based Breastfeeding Support

More information

Beyond ABSS update:

The groups delivered by Chaos and Calm will seek funding to continue.
Families with young children with special educational needs will receive support from group sessions through the Council’s education service.

Chaos & Calm

More information

Beyond ABSS update:

City Family CIC has remodelled its services, with all children and family services being delivered as City Family YourFamily. With effect from 1st April 2025, the YourFamily project will continue as part of this.

City Family

More information

Beyond ABSS update:

City Family Explorers Creche will continue with City Family, meaning parents will still be able to access support in the city.

Crèche services

More information

Beyond ABSS update:

The Families Growing Together programme will evolve into innovative forest school activities for families across Southend.

Families Growing Together

More information

Beyond ABSS update:

The FOOD Club will continue in 2025 with support from Southend City Council.

Food Club

More information

Beyond ABSS update:

Safe Steps will continue to deliver information and specialist services and provide victim support in the community.

IDVA Project

More information

Beyond ABSS update:

The Journey to Parenthood antenatal service will continue until the 17th April 2025 when a review of service delivery will be conducted.

Journey to Parenthood

More information

Beyond ABSS update:

The Let’s Talk service will end on 31st March, but the knowledge gained will guide the next steps for communication and early language development support in mid and south Essex.

Let's Talk

More information

Beyond ABSS update:

From 31st March 2025, ABSS funding of the Little Steps service will end, due to ABSS grant ending. The service will continue to be delivered by Southend City Council’s Public Health team and will not affect families using the service.

Little Steps

More information

Beyond ABSS update:

The One-to-One Breastfeeding service at Southend Hospital will no longer include home visits but will still support new parents on the maternity ward.

One-to-One Breastfeeding Support

More information

Beyond ABSS update:

The Infant Feeding Supervisor Lead and Public Health Midwife roles will continue, providing advice and guidance across the Council and NHS organisations to influence how services are delivered.

Our Specialists

Beyond ABSS update:

Southend’s Parents’ Voice – Southend City Council will test a different service to learn about what works best. This will ensure parents’ voices continue to influence service development and delivery.

Parental Engagement and Co-Production

Beyond ABSS update:

The Peer Support Workers service will seek funding to continue.
Families with young children with special educational needs will receive support from group sessions through the Council’s education service.

Social and Communication Peer Support Workers

More information

Beyond ABSS update:

The Storysacks service has now moved into Southend Libraries, where it is available for all families with young children across the city.

Southend Storysacks

More information

Beyond ABSS update:

The Southend Supports Breastfeeding scheme will continue alongside the new group-based support service delivered by the Health Visiting Team.

Southend Supports Breastfeeding

More information

Beyond ABSS update:

The Specialist Health Visitors for Perinatal Mental Health service will end. Learning from the project will inform the local services of the future. Other services are available to support parents with mild to moderate mental health needs during and after pregnancy.

Specialist Health Visitors for Perinatal Mental Health

More information

Beyond ABSS update:

The Talking Transitions service will evolve over the coming months.

Talking Transitions

More information

Beyond ABSS update:

The Playroom, a one-room early years space on the first floor of the SAVS building, will be provided by SAVS and City Family.

The Playroom

More information

Beyond ABSS update:

The Work Skills service will end. The experience, knowledge and learning will continue to influence support to parents.

Work Skills

More information

Beyond ABSS update:

YourFamily will continue with City Family, ensuring families can continue to access support in Southend.

YourFamily

More information

CID Fund Projects

The CID fund is now closed for any new applications.

The A Better Start Southend (ABSS) Community Ideas and Development (CID) Fund drives community-led change by investing in and supporting community groups, organisations, and individuals with innovative ideas about how to improve the lives of children, and families living in Southend. The goal of the fund is to support these groups or organisations in turning their creative concepts into actionable projects.

We are working with existing partners to ensure the effectiveness of projects and to support partners to keep responding to the needs of their communities. Any applications already in process are undergoing the usual review procedures.

Our CID Fund Projects Are:

Beyond ABSS update:

From January 2025, the service will change to weekly drop-in sessions for dads/male carers and their youngest children, as well as the provision of 121 support through live chat or in person.

City Family: Dads Connect

More information

Beyond ABSS update

Sling support will continue to be offered at all Cake Club sessions. Cloth nappy support will continue through a closed Facebook Group for previous workshop attendees.

Cloth Nappies and Slings Support Workshops

More information

Beyond ABSS update:

The Little Love Baby Bank is now closed. Items are still available to families during The One Love Project’s regular Food Bank opening times and families can still access support from the YourFamily team.

One Love: Little Love Baby Bank with YourFamily

More information

Beyond ABSS update:

The ABSS funded Stay and Play sessions finished on Tuesday 16th July 2024.

Sunshine Baby Bank: Sunshine Stay and Plays

More information

Beyond ABSS update:

ABSS funding of Tiny Tots Time has ended and the Ironworks building is now closed. The Ironworks team are collaborating with local partners to continue running activities and are working with the Victoria Shopping Centre team to trial a mini-series of Tiny Tots Time from 22 January – 2 April 2025.

The Ironworks: Tiny Tots Time

More information

Beyond ABSS update:

ABSS funding of Build a Bond Through Play workshops has now ended. Learning from this pilot project will be shared to relevant partners to support their work with families into the future.

The Power of Play: Build a Bond Through Play

More information

Beyond ABSS update:

From 1st April 2025, the Welcome to the UK: Friendship Fridays service will not be funded by ABSS. Welcome to the UK will, however, continue to offer this support.

Welcome to the UK: Friendship Fridays

More information

Beyond ABSS update:

From 28th February 2025, ABSS funding of Yoga4all: Pregnancy, Mother and Baby, and Parent and Toddler Yoga will end, in preparation for the ABSS grant end in March 2025.

Yoga4all: Pregnancy, Mother and Baby, and Parent and Toddler Yoga

More information

Previous A Better Start Southend Projects:

Umbilical Chords (end date: May 2024)

Talking Transitions (transferred to City Family in January 2024)

YourFamily (transferred to City Family in January 2024)

Crèche Team (transferred to City Family in December 2023)

Family Nurse Partnership (referral end date: October 2023)

Volunteer Home Visiting service (end date: March 2023)

HENRY (end date: August 2022)

Being a Parent (end date: January 2020)

Fathers Reading Every Day (FRED) (end date: June 2019)

Sunshine & Stories (end date: 2016)

Mellow Parenting (end date: 2015)

Incredible Years (end date: 2015)

Five to Thrive (end date: 2016)

Connecting Parents (end date: 2016)

Community Parents Programme (end date: 2016)

Building Bridges (end date: 2016)

Buggy Active/Activise /Active Families (end date: 2016)