Better Start Bradford (BSB) is an opportunity for Bradford to test out and add to the evidence base of ‘what works’ in improving child health and development outcomes in the early years, improving maternal and child health and school readiness.

Learning from developing the BSB programme has been instrumental in supporting the development of the district’s Integrated Early Years Strategy and the plans for transforming early years and early help.

The Strategic Director, Children’s Services will submit Document “AH” which outlines the background to the Better Start Bradford Programme, the key principles of the approach and reports on the progress in implementation and key aspects of evaluation and learning across the district.    

Recommended-

That the information provided in the report and the high commitment within the District to improving outcomes and reducing inequalities for all young children, through evidence based early intervention and prevention to ensure all children reach their potential be considered and noted.

                                                            (Michaela Howell – 01274 513227)

Better Start Bradford (BSB) was an opportunity for Bradford to test out and add to the evidence base of ‘what works’ in improving child health and development outcomes in the early years, improving maternal and child health and school readiness.

Learning from developing the BSB programme had been instrumental in supporting the development of the district’s Integrated Early Years Strategy and the plans for transforming early years and early help.

The Strategic Director, Children’s Services submitted Document “AH” supported by a presentation and short film which outlined the background to the Better Start Bradford Programme, the key principles of the approach and reported on the progress in implementation and key aspects of evaluation and learning across the district.           

It was reported that the Better Start Bradford Programme was being delivered in three disadvantaged wards (Bowling and Barkerend, Bradford Moor and Little Horton) but aimed to embed what worked across the district.  For example the Baby Buddy phone app was now used across the district to provide information to mums to be and encourage use of mainstream services.

Members were informed that the Better Start Bradford Programme focussed on improving  maternal and child health and school readiness, the programme’s primary outcomes were to improve communication and language development, social and emotional development and nutrition in children aged 0-3 years.

Members commented on a number of issues which included:

·         Expecting a baby but was not informed of the Baby Buddy phone app and the Family Links Ante-Natal Course (Welcome to the World).

·         Were different Children’s Centre clusters working differently to others or were midwives not interacting with different Children’s Centres; were the programmes being delivered effectively?

·         What was the percentage of take up of the various programmes in each ward?

·         Did the programmes cater for people with disabilities?

·         How did you ensure there was no duplication in services?

·         How did you prioritise roll out of the different projects?

·         Were the programmes ensuring contact with hard to reach groups?

·         What would be different about this programme compared to other programmes that had been delivered in the past and had failed?

·         How effective had community involvement been?

·         Needed to ensure that when commissioning services, processes were in place so that local organisations had opportunities to apply when commissioning arose.

·         Needed further information on implementation and evaluation of the various projects; how did learning happen in other areas? needed further information about take up of the projects.

·         There was no mention of partners and fathers in the report; should be a whole family approach.

In response to the questions raised by Members it was reported that:

·         The information on Baby Buddy and Ante-Natal classes should be included in the pack that was given to expectant mothers; ante-natal classes were delivered through Children’s Centres; Health Visitors were aligned to Children’s Centres.

·         Midwives, Health Visitors and Children’s Centres should all be working together.

·         Take up of the projects was different in each ward as eligibility of the programme was different for each programme, some were universal and not happening to target such as “Welcome to the World”; others were achieving more than need but it varied project to project.

·         Families with disabilities were catered for and all services were inclusive.

·         Services were not duplicated; working alongside health visitors made it easier and enhanced the work undertaken.

·         Some programmes started early as partners were ready to roll them out such as midwifery as CCG’s had their own timeline which had to be worked with; Baby Steps was no longer being delivered by NSPCC and needed looking at in terms of who would be providing it.

·         Without projects such as the Ante-Natal Classes Welcome to the Word, 90% of women had not attended any kind of ante-natal class previously.

·         There had been better attendance at ante-natal classes since they were rolled out locally but the programme worked better in some districts than others and officers would be looking at why it had not worked well in some areas.

·         Needed to learn what worked for Sure Start and what did not; focus would be on outcomes for children and 0-3 year olds; evaluation from the start was important; needed to look at programmes that had the best chance of succeeding; officers would evaluate lessons learnt from any programme that had not worked; issue of sustainability were a key factor, midwifery was a good example of what worked well; some projects may not work and some would have potential for sustainability; needed to ensure best use of resources were being made; it was crucial that services that were being delivered were making a difference such as perinatal mental health and the importance of that project.

·         There was a strong and challenging engagement at Board level but community participation needed strengthening.

·         Officers had worked with the voluntary community sector and introduced the programme to them.

·         Whole family approach was used in the design process of a project even though the programme focussed on mothers and 0-3 year olds; dedicated engagement work with fathers and partners had just started.

Resolved-

(1)  That the Committee welcomes the report and the high commitment across and within the District to improving outcomes and reducing inequalities for all young children through the Better Start Programme.

(2)  That the importance of working with fathers, grand parents and male carers be noted.

(3)  That a report be presented to the Committee in 12 months time demonstrating outcomes of the package of programmes being delivered by Better Start Bradford.

Action:           Strategic Director, Children’s Services