Radically reimagining the delivery of early years services for migrant mothers and their children: exploring community-based solutions at the sharpest

This project seeks understand with, and redress health inequalities within the vulnerable group of migrant mothers and their children who have no or limited access to public funds whilst the government's increasingly 'hostile environment' response to migration has guided its policy, these policies have not been designed to positively influence migrant health, their role as social determinants of health is incontestable.

During a critical period of development, this can harm their potential and enable social inequalities to reproduce across the next generation.

The project will partner with community based groups providing support to mothers navigating the complexities of the hostile environment to explore sites of possibility.

The project will be based in East London, an area which has one of the highest rates of households in temporary accommodation, and one of the highest rates of childhood poverty in the UK, according to the Trust for London. There are 2000 homeless children under five in Newham at any given time for example.

Whilst new policies such as the 'Family Hub' is being implemented across the UK, it is crucial that the experience of migrant mothers is considered and they are consulted in designing future services and considered at a policy level, to ensure their babies and toddlers are considered primarily to benefit from these services.