Why choose HENRY

There are lots of reasons to choose HENRY – our services are evidence-based, flexible, responsive and innovative, highly effective and offer value for money. Parents and practitioners consistently rate our work very highly with 98% approval.

HENRY’s unique approach

HENRY is different from other providers. Throughout our services we adopt a highly effective approach to ensuring a healthy, happy start in life and to protecting children from the consequences of obesity. This approach focuses on both the ‘message’ and the ‘messenger’ to create the conditions for change and support families to adopt healthier lifestyles. It recognises that emotional wellbeing and confident, responsive parenting are just as important for long-term outcomes as information for parents on a healthy start.

Strong evidence base

HENRY currently has the strongest available evidence base for any national early years initiative aimed at supporting a healthy start in life. Several independent clinical studies have shown that both parents and children make and sustain ‘statistically significant’ lifestyle changes including increased consumption of fruit and vegetables, decreased consumption of energy-dense food, increase physical activity levels, increased parenting efficacy, increased emotional wellbeing, and improved lifestyle habits. Following the promising result the National Institute for Health Research is funding a Randomised Control Trial (RCT) of HENRY support which is currently underway.

HENRY is highly effective

We offer a proven approach to a healthy start and obesity prevention and reduction which practitioners and parents love. For example, over the 8 years in which HENRY has been embedded in Leeds as part of the city-wide obesity policy Reception obesity rates fell from 10.3% to 8.8%, with rates in the most deprived areas, where HENRY was targeted, dropping from 13.8% to 9.7%. Throughout this period parent and practitioner approval ratings were 98%.

Innovative and flexible packages, tailored to local need

We have 10 years’ experience designing and delivering multi-layered services tailored to local circumstances and priorities which can be delivered through a range of delivery models including ‘train the trainer’, direct delivery, and a blend of the two. We start with a two-way dialogue and joint assessment of needs. We can then offer our established practitioner training and family support services, or develop bespoke packages to cover all elements of a healthy start.

Families love HENRY support

We receive consistently high approval and recommendation ratings, both at 98%. We’ve lost count of how many times families describe HENRY as ‘life-changing’. But don’t just take our word for it. Hear from some of the thousands of families whose lives have been transformed and who can now look forward to a brighter future following HENRY support, as well as from some of the thousands of practitioners who describe HENRY training as the best they have ever been on and who explain how it has improved their professional practice.

Read case studies

External recognition

We are an award-winning charity, The King’s Fund recognises our ‘outstanding contribution to community health’, and our family support and practitioner training both carry quality kite marks (from CANparent and the RSPH respectively). Commissioners can therefore rest assured that they will be receiving high quality services in exchange for their investment. HENRY seeks external recognition of our work and its impact from research studies, industry experts, commissioners, practitioners and parents.

Value for money

The Early Intervention Foundation (EIF) awarded our services their best possible cost score, meaning they have a low cost to set up and deliver. Research consistently shows that investment in the early years provides a greater return than later interventions. Our services focus on early life and are competitively priced - and with 95% of participating families leading a healthier lifestyle post-programme, they provide clear value for money.

Holistic approach and broad service offer

HENRY services span healthy weight, oral health, infant feeding, pregnancy, diet & nutrition, emotional wellbeing, physical activity, parenting and more. Because of the holistic nature of our approach, our Healthy Families programme is often used as a key local parenting pathway. It also supports all areas of the children’s centre core purpose.

Working with HENRY
is a great partnership