To mark the national Day of Reflection for the COVID-19 pandemic, we are reflecting on the research, support and guidance we provided during and following this unprecedented period of uncertainty and loss.
On October 3 2024, on behalf of the the Public Health Agency NI and the Stronger From The Start Alliance, NCB will host its annual infant mental health conference.
Throughout the A Better Start programme, research and evidence from across the five partnerships which shows how their work has improved child outcomes is regularly published.
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.
NCB is part of the national evaluation team for A Better Start which is led by the National Centre for Social Research (NatCen). The evaluation programme began in April 2021 and will continue until March 2026.
LEAP is one of five local partnerships that make up A Better Start. NCB is the accountable body for the LEAP programme and has hosted it within the NCB family since 2015.
Given the new government’s aims to "raise the healthiest generation of children ever" and to "break down barriers to opportunity", we believe it would be counterproductive to remove funding for the Start for Life and Family Hubs programme and that costs would escalate in the long run.
