Best Beginnings

Babyzone

Early Childhood Development

Babyzone

Early Childhood Education

Neuroscience

Autism

Screen Time

Interaction Engine

Language Development

HIV

For Baby's Sake Trust

Early Years Alliance

Sleep

The Dad Lab

Curiosity

Aviva Foundation

University Of East London

Little Village

Turn-Taking

1001 Critical Days Foundation

Jojo and Gran Gran

Best Beginnings is the podcast for everyone working in or caring about the early years. Hosted by George Looker, CEO of Babyzone, each episode brings together leading researchers, clinicians, practitioners, policymakers and parents to explore the evidence, ideas and innovations shaping how we support children and families in the UK. From infant mental health and attachment to workforce challenges ... more

4 ratings

Publishes	Weekly	Episodes	17	Founded	4 months ago
Number of Listeners		Categories	ParentingKids & Family

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Latest Episodes

Sally Hogg: Why Early Childhood Change Never Sticks

Sally Hogg, founding director of Start Strong and founder of the 1001 Days Movement, joins Best Beginnings to explain why early childhood investment keeps cycling through without lasting change. She discusses the gap between what the British public b... more

21 Jul 2026 • 52 min

The Richmond Project's Lizzie Gaisman on the maths anxiety we pass to our children

Lizzie Gaisman, CEO of the Richmond Project, joins George to discuss the findings from the UK's largest ever survey on how people feel about numbers and what it reveals about a confidence crisis that starts early, falls hardest on mothers and travels... more

14 Jul 2026 • 41 min

Home Start's Jodie Reed on the 1 in 5 parents the system can't reach

Jodie Reed, co-CEO of Home Start UK, joins George to talk about what 9,000 trained volunteers do for over 60,000 families every year and why that work can't be replicated by statutory services. They cover why family isolation is a structural trend th... more

7 Jul 2026 • 35 min

Trust, Stigma & Why People Don't Use the Care That's There | Dr Ingrid Katz

Dr Ingrid Katz, Director of the Yale Institute for Global Health, joins George to talk about one of the most important questions in public health and early years: why don't people use support that's free and available? Drawing on 20 years of research... more

30 Jun 2026 • 36 min

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Feel Better, Live More with Dr Rangan ChatterjeeDr Rangan Chatterjee: GP & Author

Recent Guests

Dr. Ingrid Katz

Director of the Yale Institute for Global Health

Yale Institute for Global Health

Episode: Trust, Stigma & Why People Don't Use the Care That's There | Dr Ingrid Katz

Lauren Seager-Smith

Chief Executive of the For Baby's Sake Trust

For Baby's Sake Trust

Episode: Domestic Abuse & The First 1001 Days | Lauren Seager-Smith

Anna Heuschkel

Centre for Young Lives Policy Researcher and Early Years Lead

Centre for Young Lives

Episode: Anna Heuschkel: What the Evidence Says About Early Years and the Children Being Left Behind

Laura Henry-Allain

Award-winning early education specialist, producer, author and keynote speaker

Jojo and Gran Gran; British Dyslexia Association ambassador

Episode: Why Reading Starts Before a Child Can Read | Laura Henry-Allain MBE

Will Quince

Former Minister for Early Education; first Chief Executive of the 1001 Critical Days Foundation

1001 Critical Days Foundation

Episode: Building the Case for the Earliest Years | Will Quince

Paul Seedhouse

Professor of Human Spoken Interaction

University of Newcastle

Episode: The Interaction Engine: How Babies Communicate Before Language | Professor Paul Seedhouse

Sophie Livingstone

CEO of Little Village, London's largest network of baby banks; Chair of Baby Bank Alliance

Little Village; Baby Bank Alliance

Episode: Sophie Livingstone MBE: What Families in Poverty Really Need

Dr Martha

Clinical psychologist with 20+ years of experience; author and social media educator on parenting

Independent clinical psychologist; author

Episode: "You're Doing Better Than You Think" | Dr Martha on Parenting, Psychology and the Early Years

Sam Wass

Professor of Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience

University of East London

Episode: The Screen Time Truth Every Parent Needs to Hear | Professor Sam Wass

Host

George Looker

Host of Best Beginnings; CEO of Babyzone

Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars from 4 ratings

Great listen
Easy to digest, informative podcast that delivers engaging, well-curated content in a relaxed, listenable style.
Apple Podcasts
5
LK4G
United Kingdom3 months ago

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Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Guests are credible and well-prepared, bringing evidence and real-world examples.

Production feels relaxed and approachable, without sacrificing depth.

Clear, digestible takeaways that are easy to apply in practice.

The show blends compassion with policy insight, helping listeners see systemic solutions.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts	#51	United Kingdom/Kids & Family/Parenting
Apple Podcasts	#132	United Kingdom/Kids & Family
Apple Podcasts	#16	Russia/Kids & Family/Parenting
Apple Podcasts	#38	Ireland/Kids & Family/Parenting
Apple Podcasts	#54	Russia/Kids & Family
Apple Podcasts	#82	Ireland/Kids & Family

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Trust, Stigma & Why People Don't Use the Care That's There | Dr Ingrid Katz

Q: Why don't people use the free and available support for them?

Dr. Katz explains that despite free treatment, uptake is hindered by stigma, fear of being judged, concerns about body changes, and misinformation. People often want to live and be healthy for their families, but structural and social barriers—such as stigma in clinics and the lack of trust in the system—prevent initiation and continuity of care.

Anna Heuschkel: What the Evidence Says About Early Years and the Children Being Left Behind

Q: So is there one thing that you think every parent listening should take away about how to interact with the system?

Parents should view themselves as their child's first teachers, actively seeking out support but also recognizing that busy schedules require the system to be easy to access. Prioritize time with their child and use trusted health and community resources to signpost to appropriate help.

The Interaction Engine: How Babies Communicate Before Language | Professor Paul Seedhouse

Q: For parents listening who may not be familiar with that concept, can you explain what the interaction engine is?

The interaction engine is the pre-language system by which babies communicate using gaze, touch, facial expressions, and other nonverbal cues; it operates as a separate, foundational system that develops before language.

Financial Insecurity Is an Early Years Crisis, with Alex Christopoulos, Aviva Foundation Lead

Q: What does financial resilience mean in practical terms for families with young children?

It means having enough income, savings, and access to supports to absorb shocks, plan for the future, and maintain stable environments for children, which reduces stress and improves parenting quality.

Sergei Urban| Why Everything Your Child Needs Is Already in Your Kitchen Cupboard

Q: What impact have you seen on your own kids as a result of these home experiments?

Sergei notes differences in interests between his children, with one leaning more toward science, another toward different areas, and emphasizes tailoring activities to each child's strengths rather than forcing a uniform approach.

Audience Metrics

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Frequently Asked Questions About Best Beginnings

What is Best Beginnings about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Best Beginnings serves a UK-focused audience interested in evidence-based early childhood policy, practice, and family support. Episodes typically feature researchers, clinicians, practitioners, policymakers, and parents discussing infant mental health, early years funding, family hubs, and real-world programs that support children 0–5. A standout is the blend of practical guidance with system-level insights, highlighting collaborations between charities, foundations, and government-backed initiatives to scale effective early years interventions.

Where can I find podcast stats for Best Beginnings?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Best Beginnings. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Best Beginnings and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Best Beginnings get?

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What are the audience demographics for Best Beginnings?

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How many subscribers and views does Best Beginnings have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Best Beginnings has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Best Beginnings?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Best Beginnings:

1. Feel Better, Live More with Dr Rangan Chatterjee

How many episodes of Best Beginnings are there?

Best Beginnings launched 4 months ago and published 17 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Best Beginnings?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Best Beginnings?

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What guests have appeared on Best Beginnings?

Recent guests on Best Beginnings include:

1. Dr. Ingrid Katz
2. Lauren Seager-Smith
3. Anna Heuschkel
4. Laura Henry-Allain
5. Will Quince
6. Paul Seedhouse
7. Sophie Livingstone
8. Dr Martha

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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