In 2021 Nesta launched A Fairer Start Local: a long-term innovation partnership with three local authorities to develop, design and test ideas for how innovation could transform early years services. Four years on, we’re sharing learnings and outcomes from the partnership at a special end of programme event.

This online event will allow delegates to hear from those who delivered the programme – from Nesta analysts and designers to early years leaders and practitioners in local authorities. We’ll share how Nesta and three local authorities worked together to improve outcomes for children in Stockport and Greater Manchester, Leeds and York.

In this interactive online session, we’ll explore insights and learnings from our innovation partnership, exploring how Nesta and local authorities worked together to deliver innovation in the early years to help children thrive: from adopting a test-and-learn approach, to co-designing with parents and practitioners, and enhancing the use of early years data.

This lunchtime session is ideal for anyone interested in innovation for local services, especially in the early years. Whether you’re a policymaker, practitioner, funder or local authority leader, you’ll gain insights into the challenges and opportunities of leading, funding and scaling place-based innovation. We’ll share what worked to build more effective early years services and our lessons on how to collaborate for effective innovation.