Baby Week UK, a vibrant initiative born in Leeds and now celebrated across more than 20 regions, is marking its 10th anniversary from November 14-20, offering over 175 free or low-cost activities focused on supporting families with children aged 0-5. Inspired by UNICEF projects and spearheaded by the visionary Lucy Potter, this year’s theme, ‘Healthy Parent, Healthy Baby,’ highlights the crucial link between parental well-being and early childhood development, culminating in the launch of Leeds’s ambitious ‘Best Start and Beyond’ 10-year strategy.
What is Baby Week UK and how does it support families and young children in Leeds?
Baby Week UK is an annual event originating in Leeds, now celebrated nationally, dedicated to supporting families and children aged 0-5. It features 175+ activities, from health talks to parenting classes, focusing on parental wellbeing, child development, and accessible community support.
The Origin and National Growth of Baby Week UK
Leeds is once again at the centre of national attention as it marks a decade since the inception of Baby Week UK, an annual event dedicated to the city’s youngest residents. What began as a local initiative has flourished over the past ten years, now celebrated in over 20 regions throughout the United Kingdom, including cities such as Nottingham, Newcastle, and Cambridgeshire. Initially inspired by Uruguay’s and Brazil’s UNICEF-backed ‘Semana do Bebe’ project, Leeds’s version was officially launched in 2016. The driving force behind this movement was Lucy Potter, a former family support worker with Leeds City Council, who recognized the value of a dedicated week to promote early years support after her experiences in South America.
After its enthusiastic reception in Leeds, Baby Week UK formalized its organisational structure by becoming a registered charity in 2018. This enabled it to broaden its reach and strengthen its offerings, not only in Leeds but also for other cities wishing to adopt the model. “It’s incredible to see the vision we brought to Leeds back in 2016 grow on a national scale and continue to bring services and sectors together to promote the best start in life,” said Lucy Potter, who remains a trustee of the organisation.
The event’s core ethos is to unite communities, parents, carers, and professionals in highlighting and improving the support network for children from birth to age five. Each year, Baby Week UK presents a unique theme; in 2024, the focus is on ‘Healthy Parent, Healthy Baby,’ amplifying the connection between parental wellbeing and early childhood development. The week-long celebration in Leeds, which runs from November 14-20, underscores the city’s commitment as a forerunner in child-friendly policy and innovative family support.
Activities, Resources, and Community Engagement
This milestone year features over 175 activities held across venues throughout Leeds. The diversity of the programming ensures that families, carers, and professionals can access everything from taster sessions and parenting classes to specialist health and wellbeing talks. These sessions are designed to be accessible, with the majority offered for free or at low cost, thereby maximizing their reach among local families.
Key highlights of Baby Week Leeds include music and dance classes, postnatal yoga, an online first aid course open to a UK-wide audience, and the ever-popular ‘baby and toddler takeover day’ at the Thackray Museum of Medicine. Leeds’s wide range of venues play a crucial role, with children’s centres, family hubs, libraries, and Active Leeds leisure centres hosting more than 75 separate activities. These initiatives further the city’s goal to make support visible and accessible so that parents and carers know exactly where to turn for advice.
Events this year are supported by the National Energy Foundation, the charity behind the Better Housing, Better Health project. The foundation’s involvement adds a new dimension, providing guidance on keeping families warm, safe, and healthy – critical building blocks for early years development. Details of all activities and resources are available on the Baby Week Leeds website, making it easy for families to plan and participate.
Strategic Vision: Best Start and Beyond
Coinciding with this major anniversary, Leeds is set to launch a new, collaborative 10-year strategy for early childhood entitled ‘Best Start and Beyond.’ This citywide strategy, developed by Leeds City Council’s public health and education teams alongside partners from the NHS and voluntary sector, aims to drive improvements in health and educational outcomes for children aged 0-5 from 2025 through 2035. The strategy focuses on reducing inequalities and ensuring every child in Leeds has a fair opportunity to thrive.
The official unveiling is scheduled for the morning of November 20 at the Leeds Health and Wellbeing Board, followed by a national conference for professionals in the fields of health, early years, and good practice. This conference is free to attend and highlights Leeds’s role as a leader in setting children up for long-term success. The Best Start and Beyond framework sets out clear priorities and action plans, fostering collaboration across local government, health services, and the voluntary sector.
Leeds City Council has long viewed early years investment as a cornerstone of its ‘Child Friendly Leeds’ initiative. Councillor Helen Hayden, executive member for children and families, commented, “Together with our partners across the city, we’ve really blazed a trail in our work to raise awareness of the critical importance of a child’s first years of life, and I’m so proud of the national institution that Baby Week has become. The week is a real highlight of our Child Friendly Leeds initiative, supporting our ambition for Leeds to be the best city for all our children and young people to grow up in.”
Partnerships, Impact, and Future Commitments
Baby Week UK owes its success to a broad coalition of supporting organisations, both public and voluntary. Leeds City Council’s sustained commitment has been a vital element, but the initiative draws strength from a diverse network of partners that includes the NHS, local charities, and national projects like the Better Housing, Better Health scheme. Together, these partnerships ensure that practical support, helpful information, and vital resources are brought directly to families who need them most.
A special focus for this year is on “Healthy Parent, Healthy Baby,” reflecting a holistic approach that recognizes the link between adult wellbeing and children’s outcomes. With a packed programme, families can expect:
- Interactive workshops on nutrition and child development
- Mental health and physical wellbeing sessions for parents and caregivers
- Information stands to connect with health visitors, midwives, and early years professionals
Councillor Emma Flint, Leeds City Council’s executive member for equality, health and wellbeing, underlined the city’s ongoing dedication: “Baby Week 2025 is once again shaping up to be action-packed, with a full programme of events showing the scale, and range, of support offered in this city to young children and families. To coincide the week’s special anniversary with our new 10-year Best Start and Beyond strategy further reinforces our commitment to doing all we can to make Leeds a happy and safe place and improve outcomes so all children and young people can reach their full potential.”
The continued expansion and adaptation of Baby Week UK illustrate its significance as more than an annual event but as part of a broader, evolving movement dedicated to giving children the best possible start in life. The event’s website, babyweek.co.uk/leeds, offers up-to-date information on programming, news, and future plans for families and professionals alike.
- Baby Week UK, an initiative that started in Leeds, is celebrating its 10th anniversary from November 14-20 with over 175 free or low-cost activities for families with children aged 0-5.
- The theme for this year’s Baby Week UK is ‘Healthy Parent, Healthy Baby,’ emphasizing the connection between parental well-being and early childhood development.
- Baby Week UK was inspired by UNICEF projects and launched in Leeds in 2016 by Lucy Potter, a former family support worker.
- Coinciding with the anniversary, Leeds is launching a new 10-year strategy called ‘Best Start and Beyond’ to improve health and educational outcomes for children aged 0-5.
- The event offers a wide range of activities including music and dance classes, postnatal yoga, and health talks, hosted in various venues across Leeds.