A groundbreaking programme which tackles inequality in families across the Liverpool City Region’s most deprived areas has won a prestigious national award.  

Cradle to Career was 1st launched in North Birkenhead in 2021 and brings together more than 50 funding and delivery partners to improve the lives of children and young people.  

The programme has improved literacy and propelled the community up the rankings in a series of statistical indicators – prompting OfSTED and CQC inspectors to call for an immediate expansion to other areas. The project is now expanding to Halton, Knowsley, Sefton and St Helens using funding from the Combined Authority. 

Cradle to Career was named Collaborative Initiative of the Year at this year’s Institute of Economic Development (IED) Awards, with judges deeming the initiative worthy of national attention.  

Steve Rotheram, Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, said:- “We are absolutely delighted that our partnership with Right to Succeed has been recognised with this award. The Cradle to Career programme is an outstanding example of how we can work together – across sectors, agencies and communities – to improve the lives of children and young people. This initiative is about creating long-lasting change, breaking down barriers and giving every child in the Liverpool City Region the best possible start in life, regardless of their background. Lots of hard work and commitment has led to this award, and it’s a testament to the dedication of everyone involved. I’m really proud of what we’ve achieved together.”  

Cradle to Career was created through a partnership between Right to Succeed and Wirral Council and instigated and funded by the Steve Morgan Foundation, with founding support from SHINE and UBS Optimus Foundation.  

In September 2023, the Combined Authority approved a £5.25m roll out of the programme to the most deprived areas across the Liverpool City Region, with Cradle to Career programmes now underway in Halton, Knowsley, Sefton and St Helens with a new discovery programme in Speke.  

The programme has significantly improved literacy standards among children, given families easy access to the support they need and created more opportunities for local children and young people.

It has contributed to major reductions in the need for care services in North Birkenhead compared to the wider Wirral. The area has gone from the highest-need community in the borough since records began to 4th place.

It has also seen almost twice the rate of child protection step-downs compared to Wirral as a whole, with a 20% reduction in re-referrals to social care and a more than 500% increase in Families Matters case closures. Uptake of the Early Years 30 hours weekly entitlement has gone from the lowest across Wirral to the highest.  

OfSTED and CQC joint inspections have praised the multidisciplinary team as highly effective and encouraged the council to scale up the work immediately.   

The IED is the UK’s leading independent professional body for economic development and regeneration practitioners, supporting them to create stronger communities and sustainable economies.     

The awards were hosted in London this month following the IED Annual Conference to recognise achievers in the public and private sector through a series of individual, team and organisational categories.    

The Collaborative Initiative of the Year award recognises outstanding cross-sector economic development collaboration between two or more partners drawn from local authorities, private sector, 3rd sector, business and academia.     

IED Director Bev Hurley CBE, who hosted the IED Annual Awards 2024, said:- “Many congratulations to Liverpool City Region Combined Authority and Right to Succeed as the winner of our Collaborative Initiative of the Year award. The judges praised the nominated Cradle to Career community initiative that began in 1 area of a city and expanded to others with Mayoral support. They highlighted its focus on deprived areas, providing essential early interventions for better economic outcomes. Our judges felt the submission showcased strong planning and collaboration among partners, resulting in significant engagement among the children it aimed to reach. The programme received commendation for its ambitious goals and effective multi-agency teamwork, with judges clear that this initiative was worthy of further attention across the UK.”  

Charlotte Ledley, Cradle to Career Liverpool City Region Programme Director for Halton and Knowsley, said:- “We are so pleased that the Cradle to Career programme has been recognised for taking a collaborative approach to supporting children and young people, this approach would not be possible without the strong partnerships we have in place with stakeholders at the heart of the communities we serve, and partners that understand the needs of their areas and have a clear vision of the change they wish to see. With the support of Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, we have been able to develop partnerships on the ground in a further 5 areas across the region that are supporting locally-led solutions and driving forward sustainable change in their communities.”