The impact of the A Better Start Southend programme: findings from Phase 2 of the Summative Evaluation from RSM UK Consulting LLP

The Early Years Alliance (EYA) partnered with RSM UK Consulting LLP and the University of Essex to evaluate the impact of the A Better Start Southend (ABSS) programme. This report is a summary of their findings from the second phase of their study, in comparison to the first phase evaluation from August 2022.  

The report gathers findings from ABSS partners, ABSS service managers, delivery staff and volunteers, and parents and carers who took part in ABSS activities or events, as well as local parents and carers who had not taken part in the ABSS programme. 

Funded by The National Lottery Community Fund, the ABSS programme, offers free services to families with children aged 0-3 years, who live in six specific wards of Southend-on-Sea; Kursaal, Milton, Shoeburyness, Victoria, Westborough, and West Shoebury. The report identified that the programme has had to adapt over time to changes, notably in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and cost of living pressures, and has responded to identified needs, such as supporting families with mental health and domestic violence issues. The flexibility of the programme to respond to these changes has been identified as a strength.  

Parents who took part in ABSS activities reported feeling more confident in parenting through being able to better access support. This led to increased confidence as parents became more knowledgeable on topics such as the benefits of breastfeeding, and how to support their families to be healthy and active.  

The ABSS programme brings the community together by helping parents connect and share beneficial information. The collaboration with local services, such as Education, Public Health, and Family Centres, improved the quality and continuity of care for families, making it easier for ABSS staff to signpost support to other services, and in some cases made direct referrals a more streamlined process.  

The report suggests that ABSS has had a positive impact on community integration, making parents more confident in using local services, and encouraging leadership in support groups. Notably, it acknowledges the crucial role Parent Champions played in community engagement and their contribution to the design of programmes.  

However, the report did highlight some challenges. While many agree that ABSS is inclusive, it faced difficulties engaging certain groups, including fathers, LGBTQ+ families, Bangladeshi, Chinese and Jewish communities, as well as young mothers.  

The report recommends improving communication in promoting ABSS services in multiple languages, organising inclusive events to encourage the participation of the whole family, and improving the mapping of the community support network. 

A Summary setting out the key findings is available [here] while the Full Report can be downloaded [here].