The parent-child relationship affects children’s social and emotional development and their learning. Parental interactions that are consistently warm and responsive can help build these strong relationships. But stresses and poor health, linked to poverty and inequality, increase the risk of insecure bonds. 5-year-olds in LEAP’s disadvantaged wards are on average less likely than their Lambeth peers to reach expected early years social and emotional development goals.

It’s vital to tackle the impact of social disadvantage as early as possible. Our services support parent and infant and co-parenting relationships, address domestic abuse, and champion parent wellbeing and confident, responsive parenting.

Communication and language difficulties can lead to poorer outcomes in later life – such as mental health challenges, low academic achievement, and relationship problems. You can predict someone’s chances of school success based on their experience of language in their early years. Young children living in more deprived areas, like the LEAP wards, are less likely on average to achieve the language goals expected of them.

Since 2015, LEAP services have been helping parents and practitioners to support children’s literacy, early communication, and language – at home, outdoors and in their local neighbourhood.

The environment and community in which a child spends their early years are hugely relevant when it comes to their development. Low-income families living in socially deprived areas have less access to quality food, accommodation and services that support healthy behaviours. This can impact a child’s future outcomes.

LEAP is uniting and empowering local services to provide healthy events and environments for early years children to enjoy. Our Parent Champions reach out and engage all the communities living in our wards to ensure everyone is involved in the projects and activities that affect them.