A Better Start

A Better Start is a ten-year (2015-2025), £215 million programme set up by The National Lottery Community Fund, the largest funder of community activity in the UK.

Mother and child with facepaint at St Martins Fun Day

  • About A Better Start

    A Better Start focuses on improving the life chances of babies and very young children by changing the way services are commissioned and delivered and involving parents as equal partners.

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  • School readiness best practice guide

    This online guide offers practical examples and resources for early years settings practitioners.

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  • What we've learned

    NCB has supported the five A Better Start partnerships to embed a culture of shared learning and the programme has produced insights and innovation that the whole early years sector can benefit from.

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  • What we've changed

    A Better Start was set up to improve the life chances of babies and very young children by changing the way services are commissioned and delivered, involving parents as equal partners.

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  • The Lambeth Early Action Partnership (LEAP)

    The Lambeth Early Action Partnership (LEAP) was one of five local partnerships that made up A Better Start. NCB was the accountable body for the LEAP programme and hosted it within the NCB family between 2015 and 2025.

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  • Big Little Moments

    The ‘Big Little Moments’ campaign - developed by The National Lottery Community Fund with each of the five partnerships - set out to promote parenting behaviours to support good early child development in children up to four years old.

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