Putting babies, toddlers and families at the heart of UK housing delivery is providing an innovation spark for housing investors and developers
Housing for a Good Start highlights how homes and neighbourhoods can better support babies, toddlers and their caregivers during the most important years of life. The Impact Investing Institute and the Van Leer Foundation, with growing support from industry partners, are calling on housing investors, developers and managers to engage with Housing for a Good Start – an initiative that sets out how homes and neighbourhoods can better support babies, toddlers and their caregivers during the most important years of life.
Shared at UKREiiF, the UK’s leading real estate, investment and infrastructure forum, the project highlights growing recognition that the first five years are not a niche consideration, but a highly impactful investment priority. As the UK real estate sector responds to the urgent need to deliver more homes, attract long-term capital and demonstrate measurable social value, the initiative offers a practical way to ensure new housing also contributes to stronger communities and better outcomes for families.
“Housing is one of the most powerful levers we have for improving people’s lives, but too often the needs of families with babies and young children are not visible in investment and development decisions. Housing for a Good Start is about changing that” explains Sarah Teacher, Co-CEO at the Impact Investing Institute.
This project calls for the needs of babies, toddlers and caregivers to be embedded across the full housing lifecycle – from investment strategy and site acquisition to design, planning, development, lettings, management and long-term stewardship.
The approach centres on practical, investable and deliverable changes, including safe, warm and affordable homes; layouts that work for babies, toddlers and caregivers; access to green space, play, childcare, transport and local services; communal spaces that help reduce isolation and build trust between neighbours; management practices that listen to families and respond to real daily pressures; and long-term stewardship that supports resilient, inclusive communities.
We are working with a group of housing investors, developers and built environment partners and are opening the next phase of the project to wider industry engagement.
A practical Housing for a Good Start Playbook will be published in autumn 2026. Those interested in finding out more about Housing for a Good Start can register their interest here or contact Ipsa Agnani, Programme Coordinator.