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Helping children thrive: how to drive a national focus on parenting

Nesta at Conservative Party Conference

In A fairer start

7 Oct 2025

Helping children thrive starts with parents and families. High-quality parenting support and early years provision can give children the strong foundations they need for learning and lifelong success. Conservative policy focuses on empowering families, supporting work and choice, and making it easier for parents to access the services they need, from expanded free childcare to practical tools to support a strong home learning environment.

However, research by Nesta shows that we’re not currently doing enough to scale the most effective parenting programmes, or reaching enough families.

At the Conservative party conference we explored how to turn the tide and drive a national focus on parenting.

Our expert panel included Louise Bazalgette, Deputy Director of Nesta's fairer start mission, Joe Owen, Director of Policy and Government Partnerships at Nesta, Lord Farmer, Officer of Family Hubs APPG, and Chair of the Family Hubs Network, Councillor Tony Ball, Essex County Council Cabinet Member for Education Excellence, Lifelong Learning and Employability, Ian Stephenson, Associate at ReGenerate who is currently leading their Early Years project, and Lucy Burns, Head of Communications and Public Affairs at Foundations. The panel explored how government, businesses, and civil society should work together to enable more parents to access effective support, improve early childhood outcomes and ensure that every family has the tools to succeed.

This event was for policymakers, practitioners, local authorities and those passionate about improving childhood outcomes.

Joe Owen

He/him

Joe is Director of Policy and Government Partnerships at Nesta. Joe was a senior civil servant in the Cabinet Office, where he worked on a wide range of economic and domestic policy issues including climate, regional inequality and migration. He also worked at the Institute for Government, as both Director of Impact and the director of the Institute's Brexit programme. He is a senior fellow at the Institute. Joe has also worked with a number of government departments as a consultant, including the Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Defence and he spent a year at Transport for London in its strategy team.

Louise Bazalgette

She/her

Louise Bazalgette is a Deputy Director at Nesta, where she co-leads a multi-disciplinary innovation team focused on narrowing the outcome gap for disadvantaged children at age 5. Before this role, she was a Principal Research Advisor for Nesta’s Alliance for Useful Evidence, where she helped develop the "What Works for Children's Social Care" center which is now part of Foundations. Louise's background is in using evidence to inform policy and practice. She previously worked at the think tank Demos, researching topics like parenting and early years, and at the NSPCC, where she led work focused on improving policy and practice for supporting the emotional wellbeing of children in care.

Ian Stephenson

He/him

Ian is an Associate leading on ReGenerate’s Early Years project, conducting research, writing reports, engaging with businesses and designing marketing materials. He joined ReGenerate via the On Purpose leadership programme, after completing a placement with DCMS in their Social Impact Investment policy area. Previously, Ian spent 8 years as a management consultant, delivering programmes for Financial Services organisations. Ian has held two Trustee positions, including with Hackney Foodbank.

Lucy Burns

She/her

Lucy Burns is the Head of Communications and Public Affairs at Foundations. She is a senior communications professional with a track record of advising UK government departments, corporate brands and NGOs, in in-house and consultancy roles. She has extensive experience of working with organisations that operate in the glare of media, regulatory and public scrutiny, and in politically sensitive environments. Lucy has a particular passion for issues at the intersection of social justice, public policy and government.

Lord Michael Farmer

He/him

Lord Farmer is a British businessman, former Conservative Party Treasurer, and a life peer in the House of Lords (2014-Present). Nicknamed "Mr. Copper" due to his influence in the global copper market, he spent most of his career in the City of London as a base metals trader. Lord Farmer is a passionate advocate for the importance of families, and the government’s role in doing more to support family life. He was commissioned by the Ministry of Justice to author two influential reports, The Farmer Review (2017) and The Farmer Review for Women (2019), focusing on the importance of strengthening family ties for offender rehabilitation and reducing reoffending rates. He also co-founded the Family Hubs Network.

Councillor Tony Ball

He/him

Tony has been a county councilor for the Wickford Crouch Division of Essex County Council since 2017. He has been a member of LGA's Children's and Young People's Board since 2023 and is a former Leader of Basildon Council, having previously represented Wickford North Ward from 1998 to 2014. He is currently Cabinet Member for Education Excellence, Lifelong Learning and Employability at County Hall and also sits on the County Councils' Network, the Essex Local Highways Panel for Basildon, the Local Government Association General Assembly, the Mid and South Essex Integrated Care Partnership and the Youth Strategy Group for Basildon. He lives in Wickford with his wife and is retired.

Helping children thrive: how to drive a national focus on parenting

About Nesta

Helping children thrive: how to drive a national focus on parenting