Barking and Dagenham is set to partner with the Early Intervention Foundation (EIF) to deliver the Early Years Transformation Academy (EYTA) 2019/20.

The borough is one of five areas locally to partner with the EIF – all chosen through a competitive process, from 18 areas across England who expressed an interest in the programme.

The Academy will offer learning opportunities to staff across local maternity and early years services. With the support and learning of the Academy we will develop a maternity and early years transformation plan, based on best practice and guidance from experts.

The EYTA is led by EIF with academy partners The Staff College, Born in Bradford and Better Start Bradford.

Welcoming the news, Councillor Maureen Worby, Cabinet Member for Social Care and Health Integration, said: “Our bid was a competitive one, with our prioritisation and strategic investment in early years placing head and shoulders above others. 

“This support will help us put early intervention at the centre of how we interact with our residents and supports the delivery of our strategic objectives set out in both the Corporate Plan and Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy.

“This is something we owe to our residents and their families and something we must deliver to give our children the best possible start in life.”

Over the next 12 year, the Academy will involve a combination of online learning, face-to-face design workshops and practical application in participating areas, with support from EIF, academy partners and other Academy participants. The four major areas of learning and development focus on preparing for change, identifying vulnerable populations, system planning and measuring impact.

The 12-month EYTA begins at the end of April with senior representatives from the five participating areas and the academy partners meeting in London.

The Academy will tackle some of the challenges outlined in a recent report published by the EIF: Realising the Potential of Early Intervention. The challenges outlined in this report are key and hold relevance beyond maternity and early years systems.