Infants’ early relationships with caregivers affect their social and emotional development and learning. These relationships begin before birth and are crucial to physical and mental health outcomes across an entire lifespan.

Parenting that is consistently warm and responsive can help build these strong relationships. But stresses and poor health, linked to poverty and inequality, can make it harder for parents to provide a safe, secure parent-infant relationship. 5-year-olds in LEAP’s disadvantaged areas are on average less likely than their Lambeth peers to reach expected social and emotional development goals.

It’s vital to tackle the impact of social disadvantage as early as possible. Our services supported parent-infant relationships, addressed domestic abuse, and promoted parental wellbeing, skills and confidence.

Communication and language difficulties can lead to poorer outcomes in later life – such as mental health challenges, low academic achievement, and relationship problems. Young children living in more deprived communities, like the LEAP areas, are less likely on average to achieve the language goals expected of them.

From 2015 to 2025, LEAP services helped 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 areas of deprivation have less access to quality food, accommodation and services. This can impact a child’s future outcomes.

LEAP united and empowered local services to provide healthy events and environments for babies and young children to enjoy. Our Parent Champions reached out and engaged all the communities living in LEAP areas to ensure everyone was involved in the projects and activities that affected them.