Better Start

Better Start is a team of early child development experts driven by a shared vision of real and lasting change for childhoods, from pregnancy to starting school. Since 2015, Better Start in Blackpool has been innovating, testing and crucially thinking differently about one of the most critical and challenging areas of public service: pregnancy and the early years. The National Lottery Community Fund provided a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to transform Blackpool’s early years system - making early child development everyone’s business. A decade of pioneering work has been captured in the Better Start Framework for Systems Building – a blueprint for building systems that works for all families. Through commitment and collective action at all levels, from communities to senior leaders, Blackpool has improved the lives of babies and young children. Whilst the team in Blackpool continues to innovate, develop and deliver services to ensure the town’s children are ready to start school, Better Start is ready to do more. They are now being commissioned by other areas in the UK who are inspired by what this place-based, people-first model is achieving.