Advertise on podcast: Earliest Years of Life

The link between green space, air quality, rich biodiversity and mental wellbeing in children is well documented.  In this episode, Zak and Kerry are joined by Shahid Islam from Bradford's Act Early Programme to explore the part we all have to play in transforming the living environment for the youngest and most vulnerable in our society.

Adverse Childhood Experiences are one of the greatest unaddressed public health challenges facing our nation today. They have a considerable impact on a child’s future health, behaviours and opportunity.  In this episode, Zak and Kerry are joined by Consultant Clinical Psychologist Warren Larkin and Senior Public Health Specialist Jo Howes to explore the relationship between childhood adversity and outcomes in later life.

Do we regularly look for the signs of adverse mental health in fathers?  The latest research suggests that one in ten new fathers develop depression and even higher numbers experience anxiety.  Zak and Kerry discuss how Early Years professionals can spot the signs and encourage fathers to open up on this subject.

Zak and Kerry find out what it is like to give birth during a pandemic.  What challenges have families faced and what additional support has been recommended to overcome those challenges?  To answer these questions and more they take a deeper look at the findings of the 'Babies in Lockdown' report from Home Start UK, the Parent Infant Foundation and Best Beginnings.

In this episode, Zak and Kerry chat with Dr Suzanne Zeedyk, a specialist in human connection and attachment theory, to explore how the earliest years of life give us the tools we use to navigate the challenges of childhood, adolescence, and adulthood.