Knowledge Makes Change (Seminar Series)

What works for young children and their families to ensure the best possible outcomes? LEAP's Knowledge Makes Change seminars explore inspiring solutions for professionals.

Why attend a Knowledge Makes Change seminar?

Expert guest speakers present key, national, early-childhood research and practice developments.

Attendees will also learn how LEAP is supporting local children and families.

By attending, you will gain:

  • Knowledge of 'what works' for young children and their families to ensure the best possible outcomes.
  • Ideas to take back and share with others.
  • Resources to support your work.
  • Information about LEAP's services and how to access them.

Who are the seminars for?

The Knowledge Makes Change seminars are free events. They're open to all everyone, but generally aimed at professionals.

Knowledge Makes Change

Webinar 12 June 2024 Findings from an evaluation of PAIRS (Parent Infant Relationship Service)

Community engagement in a highly diverse, inner-city area

In this webinar, find out how LEAP:

  • Developed a popular and successful community engagement programme
  • Developed trust in the community, encouraging families to access LEAP services
  • Works with and is led by families and parent/carer volunteers
  • Developed effective partnership working with a wide range of local community and voluntary organisations

Presented on Tuesday 6 February 2024 by members of LEAP's Community Engagement Team:

  • Tanya Spence, People in the Lead Manager
  • Georgia-May Campbell, Community Activities Facilitator
  • Kim Stanway, Parent Champion Coordinator
  • Davina Belcher, CoCreate Partnerships Manager

The Lambeth Early Action Partnership (LEAP) delivers community engagement in a densely populated, diverse inner-London community. Economic disadvantage impacts the lives of many families. 68% of children live in very deprived neighbourhoods. English is not the first language of almost 1 in 5 residents in the LEAP area.

For more on our Community Engagement programme, see our new report.

Spitting up and vomiting: allergies and infant feeding

The first in a series of 3 upcoming LEAP webinars.

Presented on Tuesday 21 June 2022.

Featuring panel members:

  • Dr Tom Marrs, Consultant Paediatric Allergist GSTT
  • Emma Illidge, Senior Specialist Paediatric Dietitian GSTT
  • Lisa Whipp, Lambeth Peer Support Lead, Breastfeeding Network.

Bottom trouble: Diarrhoea and Constipation

The second in a series of 3 LEAP webinars.

Presented on Monday 26 September 2022.

Featuring panel members:

  • Dr Tom Marrs, Consultant Paediatric Allergist GSTT
  • Jessie Chien, Senior Specialist Paediatric Dietitian GSTT
  • Lisa Whipp, Lambeth Peer Support Lead, Breastfeeding Network.

Eczema and skin trouble.

Third of LEAP's public health seminars on young children's health issues, this session focuses on Eczema and skin trouble.

Presented on 30 Nov 2022

  • Dr Tom Marrs, Consultant Paediatric Allergist, GSTT
  • Danielle Slizys, Senior Specialist Paediatric Dietitian, GSTT
  • Lyncia Downer, Team Leader - Patch Children’s Community Nursing, GSTT

Infant mental health: addressing the baby blindspot

Infant Mental Health Awarenesss Week (IMHAW) in 2021 encouraged everyone working in the children and young people’s mental health sector to think about and include babies.

Six experts from across the A Better Start sites showcased how their teams are working with families and services to improve infant mental health.

Watch the full webinar and access the slides below.

During the webinar (from 32:46), LEAP’s Ben Yeo, a Child and Adolescent Psychoanalytic Psychotherapist with our Parent and Infant Relationship Service (PAIRS,) explores the relationship between parents and their unborn babies. He explains how the team understands and works in this earliest of relationships.

Colleagues from Bradford, Blackpool, Nottingham, Southend and the National Children’s Bureau also made the following presentations.

Natural Thinkers

Connecting children to nature to support their wellbeing.

The webinar and presentations took place on 17 March 2021.


Lambeth Infant Feeding Study Morning

On Friday 12 March, the Breastfeeding Network (BfN) and LEAP presented a virtual study morning.

The event featured:

  • Yoga meditative breathing exercises with Claudia Feigk.
  • Keynote speaker and founder of International Fathers' Mental Health Day, Mark Williams.
  • Camden Baby Feeding Manager, Smita Hanciles, on infant feeding, and perinatal & infant mental health.
  • Infant Feeding Co-ordinator for Guy's & St. Thomas' Trust, Claire Spencer, on support during the pandemic.

The impact of Covid-19 on LEAP's families, practitioners and services


The Covid-19 crisis has had, and will continue to have, a significant adverse effect on children aged 0–3. A 10-page PDF report.

The slides presented in the webinar: "The impact of Covid-19 on LEAP's families, practitioners and services".


Assisting LEAP families experiencing food and fuel poverty

Presentations from LEAP's partners, Repowering London and Healthy Living Platform.

What’s your level of understanding about fuel poverty and its impact on your work? Repowering London fuel poverty presentation

We always knew food poverty was a problem, but Covid has exacerbated the issue. Putting food back into the heart of communities

Race and inequality: exploring the needs of our early years community

The importance of race, culture and gender for ensuring inclusion within early years and community settings.

Seeing the world through babies' eyes in times of crisis and change

A PAIRS (Parent and Infant Relationship Service) webinar for Infant Mental Health Awareness Week 2020.

Promoting parenting behaviours to support good development in children up to 4

The story of Big Little Moments, and findings and recommendations from the evaluation.

How do I take part?

Please email David Wood, LEAP Programme Manager, to register for an event or find out more.

The importance of play in child development

The inaugural Knowledge Makes Change seminar was on the importance of play in child development. 

In attendance was Richard Newson, Senior Media & Communications Officer at the National Children’s Bureau.

Find out what he learned.

Test File

A report about X, Y and Z.

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