About Nesta

Nesta is an innovation foundation. For us, innovation means turning bold ideas into reality and changing lives for the better. We use our expertise, skills and funding in areas where there are big challenges facing society.

Across the UK, professionals in local authorities are developing innovative ways to use data to improve the first, formative years of a child’s life. But innovation thrives on connection and it’s vital to create opportunities for professionals from across the early years system to share ideas and learning.

On Tuesday 17 June Nesta is hosting an all-day event for professionals working with data in early years services. The event will offer a welcoming and open space to come together and share ideas on how data can improve services for children and families.

This event will be held in Nesta’s central London office and will run from 10:30-16:00 with lunch provided, followed by drinks and networking.

Why you should come

Attendees will have the chance to hear a range of different approaches being used to put data at the heart of improving early years services – from addressing challenges to developing practical solutions and the lessons learned along the way. We hope you’ll also form new partnerships and connections with early-years colleagues across the system.

You also have the opportunity to share your work. We are inviting attendees to submit a proposal for a 5-minute talk as part of the event. You can submit your proposal by writing up to 150 words in the optional field in the registration form. Topics of interest could include operational or strategic work, whether it’s complete or still in progress. We’re interested in issues around the introduction of family hubs, integration of different data systems, multi-agency data sharing, approaches to bring data into strategic decision making or other topics.

This event is for professionals interested in using data to improve children’s lives. You might work in early years services, in a local authority, in business intelligence or in an NHS service such as health visiting, speech and language therapy, midwifery or in a special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) role.

Attendance at this event is by invitation only. Please contact [email protected] to express your interest.

Speakers

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Tom Symons

He/him

Tom is the deputy mission director for the fairer start mission at Nesta. His research focuses on government innovation and he is currently undertaking research into the ways data can help governments to improve decision making and support innovation. Prior to Nesta Tom was an associate at Social Finance, a not-for-profit organisation that works with government, the social sector and the finance community to develop solutions to complex social problems. At Social Finance Tom worked on projects developing Social Impact Bonds and whole systems change programmes in local public services, including children’s services, early years provision and health and social care integration. Tom previously worked at the Local Government Association, and before that was a senior researcher at the think tank New Local Government Network. Tom began his career as a graduate trainee at the London Borough of Islington. He has a BA in Economics and Politics from Exeter University and an MA in Housing from the University of Westminster.

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Rachel Wilcock

She/Her

Rachel is senior data science lead in the fairer start mission and the data analytics practice. She works alongside both the mission team and the data analytics practice, and she is helping to combine multiple data sources, data science techniques and visualisations to complement the interdisciplinary work of the mission. Before Nesta, Rachel completed her undergraduate degree in earth sciences at the University of Oxford, followed by a PhD in Geology and Geophysics at the University of Edinburgh. After developing a novel clustering method for earthquakes, she wanted to be able to use her data science skills to have a real-world impact on social problems faced by society today.