Your experience can help shape better support for families

Every family’s experience of pregnancy, early parenthood, and healthcare support is different.

You may have interacted with services such as:

• Midwives or maternity care
• Health visitors
• Family hubs or children’s centres
• GP or hospital services

Your experience — whether positive, challenging, or somewhere in between — matters.

Why Your Voice Is Important

Sharing your experience can:

• Help other parents understand what support is available
• Make healthcare journeys feel less confusing or overwhelming
• Highlight what works well for families
• Help services understand what families truly need

For many parents, hearing from others who have been through similar situations can provide reassurance, clarity, and confidence.

What You Might Want to Share

You are free to share whatever feels right for you.

This could include:

• Your experience during pregnancy or after your baby was born
• Support you received from midwives or health visitors
• Your experience accessing local services or family hubs
• Any challenges you faced navigating support
• What made you feel supported, reassured, or listened to
• What you wish you had known earlier

There is no “right” experience — your story is valuable as it is.

Supporting Others Through Your Story

Your experience could help another parent:

• Feel less alone
• Know what to expect
• Feel more confident asking for help
• Understand where to go for support

Even small pieces of insight can make a meaningful difference.

A Safe and Respectful Space

We understand that sharing your experience can feel personal.

Any information you share:

• Will be treated with care and respect
• Can be shared anonymously if you prefer
• Will only be used to support and inform other families

Our aim is to create a space that feels:

• Safe
• Supportive
• Free from judgement

You Are in Control

Sharing is always your choice.

• You decide what to include
• You can keep your experience private or anonymous
• There is no pressure to share anything you’re not comfortable with

Help Improve the Experience for Families

By sharing your experience, you are helping:

• Build understanding across communities
• Strengthen support for new parents
• Shape a more responsive and supportive system for families

👉 Share your experience of Best Start for Life support

Depending on your situation and local services, support may include:

Health and Development Support

• Regular check‑ins from health visitors
• Advice on your baby’s growth, feeding, and development

Emotional Wellbeing Support

• Support with mental health and wellbeing
• Help during times of stress, anxiety, or adjustment

Practical and Parenting Support

• Guidance on caring for your baby
• Support with routines, feeding, and bonding

Community and Family Services

• Local groups and support networks
• Connections to charities and community organisations like Basch Helps

What to Expect

Support is designed to feel:

• Accessible and easy to reach
• Respectful and non‑judgemental
• Tailored to your family’s needs

You may:

• Speak to different professionals
• Receive support at home, in the community, or online
• Be guided to services that best match your situation

How to Access Best Start for Life Support

You can usually access support through services you are already connected to:

Through a Professional

• Midwife
• Health visitor
• GP
• Family support worker

They can:

• Provide support directly
• Refer you to additional services
• Help you understand what is available locally

The early years of a child’s life — from pregnancy through to age 2 — are some of the most important for their growth, health, and development.

At Basch Helps, we know these early stages can also be challenging for families. That’s why initiatives like Best Start for Life, supported by the NHS and local councils, exist — to make sure families can access the right support, at the right time.

This approach focuses on helping babies thrive, supporting parents, and ensuring that no family faces these early years without guidance or care.

What is Best Start for Life?

Best Start for Life is a national programme designed to improve outcomes for babies and young children.

It brings together services such as:

• Midwifery and maternity care
• Health visiting
• Mental health and wellbeing support
• Parenting and early development services
• Community-based family support

The aim is simple: 👉 To give every child the strongest possible start in life, regardless of their circumstances

It also helps ensure that services work more closely together, so families receive joined‑up, consistent support.

Who Is Eligible?

Best Start for Life support is available to:

• Expectant parents
• Parents and carers of babies and children aged 0–2 years
• Families who may need additional support during early parenthood

This includes families who may be:

• Feeling overwhelmed or isolated
• Managing financial or housing pressures
• Experiencing emotional or wellbeing challenges
• Navigating complex life situations

👉 You do not need to be in crisis to access support — early help is encouraged.

How Basch Helps Works Alongside This Support

At Basch Helps, we complement Best Start for Life by providing:

• Practical support through AngelBox
• Emotional support such as befriending
• Guidance and signposting

We work alongside health and local partners to help ensure families receive holistic, joined‑up support.

A Simple Reminder

You don’t need to have everything figured out.

Support is there to help you:

• Feel more confident
• Understand your baby’s needs
• Navigate early parenthood step by step

👉 You deserve support during this time — and it’s okay to reach out.

👉 Speak to your health visitor or contact your local services to find out what support is available