In this episode, Zak and Kerry explore the vital role of Health Visitors in giving every child the best start in life. Joined by Dr Sharin Baldwin, Senior Health Visitor Lead at the Institute of Health Visiting, and Edwina Lintin, Bradford MECSH Champion, they discuss how evidence-based practice and the MECSH programme - an enhanced health visiting programme - support families, strengthen early relationships, and reduce inequalities.

Together, they highlight why focused investment in the earliest years is essential, and what needs to change to help all babies and young children thrive.

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In this episode, Zak and Kerry explore the journey of a Better Start Bradford baby and how the programme’s ecosystem of stacked interventions supports families in the earliest years. With insights from Gill Thornton, Director of Better Start Bradford, Josie Dickerson, Director of the Better Start Bradford Innovation Hub, and Professor Sharon Goldfeld, Centre of Community Child Health and the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Melbourne, Australia, they unpack how coordinated, layered support can strengthen outcomes, what local data reveals about families’ real experiences, and how this learning can shape future policy and commissioning.

Together, they highlight the power of whole-system approaches in improving early childhood development and community wellbeing.

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In this episode, Zak and Kerry explore the importance of working alongside communities, especially parents and carers, and the principles that underpin meaningful engagement. Joined by Gill Thornton, Director at Better Start Bradford; Shahid Islam, Principal Research Fellow at Born in Bradford; and Shummel Uddin, Family and Community Engagement Team Manager at Better Start Bradford, this rich discussion centres around co-design, inclusive approaches, trust building, and the local and national evidence driving better outcomes for families. 

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In this episode, Zak and Kerry explore why developing a skilled, confident early years workforce is essential to giving every child the strongest start. Joined by Charlotte Woodhouse, Early Years Facilitator at Better Start Bradford, Victoria Carter of Bradford University, and Julie Adamson of Bradford College, they discuss the importance of play, holistic practice, and nurturing culture across health, education and social care. The conversation delves into apprenticeships, mentoring, and growing talent from the ground up, as well as how local innovation in Bradford is shaping national thinking on early years and midwifery training. Together, they highlight how investing in people ultimately strengthens outcomes for babies, families and communities.

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In this episode, Zak and Kerry explore the impact ten years of The National Lottery Community Fund’s A Better Start programme, sharing key recommendations from the test-and-learn programme and the models of working that made this a unique opportunity for Bradford. They look ahead to the next phase of Better Start Bradford and how learning has shaped system planning, commissioning and delivery. Guests include Matt Riddell from The National Lottery Community Fund; Gill Thornton, Director of Better Start Bradford, along with Vipin Joshi, Community Representative and Chair of the Better Start Bradford Board; and Josie Dickerson, Director of the Better Start Bradford Innovation Hub.

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The link between green space, air quality, rich biodiversity and mental wellbeing in children is well documented.  In this episode, Zak and Kerry are joined by Shahid Islam from Bradford's Act Early Programme to explore the part we all have to play in transforming the living environment for the youngest and most vulnerable in our society.

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Adverse Childhood Experiences are one of the greatest unaddressed public health challenges facing our nation today. They have a considerable impact on a child’s future health, behaviours and opportunity.  In this episode, Zak and Kerry are joined by Consultant Clinical Psychologist Warren Larkin and Senior Public Health Specialist Jo Howes to explore the relationship between childhood adversity and outcomes in later life.

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Do we regularly look for the signs of adverse mental health in fathers?  The latest research suggests that one in ten new fathers develop depression and even higher numbers experience anxiety.  Zak and Kerry discuss how Early Years professionals can spot the signs and encourage fathers to open up on this subject.

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Zak and Kerry find out what it is like to give birth during a pandemic.  What challenges have families faced and what additional support has been recommended to overcome those challenges?  To answer these questions and more they take a deeper look at the findings of the 'Babies in Lockdown' report from Home Start UK, the Parent Infant Foundation and Best Beginnings.

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In this episode, Zak and Kerry chat with Dr Suzanne Zeedyk, a specialist in human connection and attachment theory, to explore how the earliest years of life give us the tools we use to navigate the challenges of childhood, adolescence, and adulthood.

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