Grateful for Garfield Weston’s Support: Building a Fair Start for Young Parents and Their Babies

As our funding from the Garfield Weston Foundation comes to an end, we want to take a moment to reflect on the impact their support has had. The Foundation’s commitment to creating positive change has helped us to give young parents and their children the fair start in life that every family deserves. 

There are an estimated 38,000 parents under the age of 25 in England and Wales. Research shows these young families too often face poorer health, social, and economic outcomes than other families. With Garfield Weston’s funding, we’ve been able to address some of the challenges that stand in their way. 

How Garfield Weston Funding Has Made a Difference 

Thanks to this vital support, we’ve reached 700 young parents and parents-to-be and over 550 babies and children. Our groups have supported families from pregnancy through the early years, covering everything from attachment and safe sleep to weaning, healthy eating, and both physical and mental family wellbeing.  

We know that parenting is hard and childhood development can feel like a minefield! Every parent deserves non-judgmental support to give their baby the best possible start in life. 

But it’s not just about practical advice. Young parents often face stigma and are judged more harshly than older parents. Too many are let down by services, and instead of blame and shame, we offer empathy and help to overcome the systemic barriers that young families face. Our work, supported by Garfield Weston, has brought together teams from midwifery, health visiting, housing, benefits, social care, and family health and wellbeing to break down the obstacles stopping young people from getting the help they need. 

Almost half of the young parents we support tell us they struggle to access services for themselves or their children. By working with partners across sectors, we’re making it easier for young parents to get support where and when they need it. 

Our work is also building solidarity and belonging for the young parent community. Feeling excluded is still a reality for too many young parents. In 1993, a group of young parents who didn’t fit into ‘normal’ mum and baby groups came together to support each other. Decades later, that same sense of isolation persists—but our in-person and online groups offer a space where young parents can connect, share, and feel a sense of belonging. 

The funding has also allowed us to continue developing our trauma-informed model of care. We recognise that many young parents have experienced challenging childhoods themselves and parenting with a history of trauma takes immense inner strength and confidence. Our groups create safe, supportive spaces where young parents are met with understanding and compassion—so they can parent safely and confidently, breaking the cycle for the next generation. 

We are grateful for the opportunity to partner with Garfield Weston and hope we can continue to work together to create positive change.

As always, thank you to all our funders for their continued support.

About Garfield Weston Foundation 

The Garfield Weston Foundation is one of the UK’s largest charitable funders, supporting a wide range of causes including community, welfare, youth, and health. Their strategy is rooted in helping organisations that make a real difference to people’s lives, especially those facing disadvantage. By prioritising projects that strengthen communities and improve life chances, the Foundation’s support is often a catalyst for lasting change. We are proud and grateful to have been part of their mission.