Better Start Scheme extended for two years

A pioneering scheme which protects babies from the traumas of domestic abuse has helped 147 families in Blackpool.

For Baby’s Sake is just one of a number of programmes introduced into the town by Blackpool Better Start since it was launched almost 10 years ago.

The scheme is aimed at breaking the pattern of harmful relationships in families by helping parents overcome abuse they may have suffered in their own childhood.

It is just one of the interventions outlined in Better Start’s annual report for 2023/24, which is due to go before the council’s Children and Young People’s Scrutiny Committee on January 23.

The £45m Lottery funded Better Start programme had been due to end in 2025 after being launched in 2015 to support families living in some of Blackpool’s most deprived neighbourhoods.

It has already been confirmed the scheme will be extended for a further two years until 2027. But it has now emerged additional funding from children’s charity the NSPCC will help sustain some of the projects even after the two year extension ends.

Projects including encouraging pregnant mums not to smoke, supporting families with speech and language skills for their children and establishing the award-winning network of community connectors have transformed lives.

The programme is a partnership approach, including Blackpool Council, the Integrated Care Board, Blackpool Teaching Hospital, and the community and
is led by the NSPCC.

It aims to improve outcomes for babies and young children by reducing the stresses families are facing and improving parenting skills.

The report to the committee says: “The partnership has been able to extend the delivery of the National Lottery Funded work by two additional years, within the original grant offer, enabling work to be continued up to
March 2027.

“During the last two years the partnership has made decisions on sustainability and mainstreaming of activities to ensure that families still receive the support and services which are making a positive impact to themselves and their children.”

Hand in hand with the work of Better Start has been the launch of three family hubs in Blackpool as part of a £2.8m government funded scheme. In the first year, almost 7,000 people registered with them. 

As well as social activities, the centres offer services including midwifery, health visitors, infant feeding support, cost of living advice and chance to join the Clevr Money credit union.