he DHSC, Public Health England and NHS England and NHS Improvement are seeking applications from voluntary, community and social enterprise sector organisations to the next round of the Health and Wellbeing Fund.

The theme of the HW Fund 2020-21 is Starting Well. The Fund aims to:

Improve health outcomes for children from preconception to two and a half years old in one or more of the following communities:

• Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) groups

• Children in areas of high deprivation (including urban, rural and coastal areas).

The HW Fund aims to support the following health outcomes:

• Improvement in perinatal mental health

• Reduction in the percentage of babies born with low birthweight

• An increase in babies being breastfed

• Obesity prevention and support

• Reduced smoking or smoke-free homes VCSE Health and Wellbeing Fund Starting Well 2020/21 5

• Improvement in learning and speech and language development

• High immunisation rates and reduction in rates of preventable disease

• Expand or develop existing projects and programmes that have been running for at least three years, and which are whole-family and/or community-centred

• Promote equalities and reduce health inequalities for children

• Work with both the target age range and the target groups

• Support strong and sustainable local connections between VCSE and statutory services, without duplicating other existing initiatives

• Facilitate co-production between local partners and service users

• Evaluate different approaches and share learning.

Funding is available for grants between £200,000 to £510,000 per applicant over three financial years to expand or develop existing schemes.

To find out more click here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/vcse-health-and-wellbeing-fund-applications-2020-to-2021