Our Goal
We want all children in Calderdale to be ready to start school. This means helping every child develop well, no matter where they live, their background or if they need extra support.
Why this matters
What happens during pregnancy and the early years (mainly the first 1,000 days) has a big impact on a child's:
- health;
- learning;
- and future.
Helping families early can reduce health problems later in life.
How we know we are making progress
We look at how many children reach a "Good Level of Development" (GLD) by the end of Reception (age 5).
In 2024:
- 67% of children in Calderdale reached GLD (up from 66.7% in 2023).
- The gap between children who need extra support (pupil premium) and those who do not was 18% (slightly worse than 16.9% in 2022).
- The gap between the lowest and highest areas of Calderdale was 5.7% (better than 10.1% in 2022).
Some areas improved more than others:
- Boothtown Family Hub area: GLD rose from 59% to 72%.
- Illingworth Family Hub area: GLD rose from 62% to 73%.
- North Halifax locality: GLD rose from 60% to 65% since 2022.
Information about starting well in Calderdale
Below are links to the sources we used to understand about children getting the best start in life:
- Fingertips (data for this is taken from fingertips as most up to date child health profile is from March 2023).
- Starting Well Strength and Needs Assessment (March 2022).
- Infant Feeding Strategy 2024-2029.
- Starting Well Maternity and Early Years Strategy (2023-2027).
We heard from families about the things that help them:
- breastfeed;
- and have good relationships in their family when their baby is very young.
We also listened to parents about what helps their children have healthy teeth.
What we are doing
We are working together to:
- Connect nurseries and schools better.
- Promote the Healthy Early Years Award.
- Support families early, especially those at risk of poor outcomes.
- Provide safe places to play and good childcare options.
What we know about Starting Well in Calderdale
Pregnancy and Birth
- Fewer babies are being born in Calderdale, with in wealthier areas being the lowest.
- Smoking in pregnancy has dropped to 8.1%, but we want to reduce it more.
- Vaccination rates in pregnancy are too low and we need to improve this.
Babies and Young Children
- 3.4% of full-term babies are low birth weight, which is similar to the national average.
- Infant deaths are not higher than average, but:
- stillbirths may be increasing;
- and may be due to poverty and late pregnancy care.
- Breastfeeding is common at birth (71.4%), but drops to 43% by week six. Support from family, the community and professionals helps.
- Tooth decay affects 22.4% of 5 year olds and 10.7% of 3 year olds. We promote toothbrushing in schools and nurseries.
Children with Special Needs
- 11.2% of 2–4 year olds get special education support, which is higher than the national average.
Safety
More children in Calderdale are hurt in accidents than in other areas. Road injuries are also higher than average.
Challenges families face
- Many children live in poverty: 1 in 5 in absolute poverty, 1 in 4 in relative poverty.
- Poor housing and homelessness are big issues, although less so in Calderdale than other areas. In 2022/23, 282 families with children were homeless.
- Difficult experiences in childhood can make it more likely that children have health and education problems. This can be things like abuse, neglect or living with someone with mental illness/addiction.
What we can all do
- Help families before and during pregnancy.
- Support early education and childcare.
- Encourage breastfeeding and healthy eating.
- Promote vaccinations and dental care.
- Reduce poverty and support families facing tough times.