Innovation in local government is about improving the lives of the people in our
communities. Browse through our case studies to see the many innovative programmes councils are involved
in.
In Norfolk, the Parent-Infant Relationship service (PAIRS) and Perinatal Mental Health (PMH) service had a well-established offering before receiving Family Hubs and Start for Life programme funding.
Recognising that helping families across the whole of Cambridgeshire could lead to better outcomes, Cambridgeshire County Council and Peterborough City Council began working together on an Early Years Strategy in 2017, in partnership with colleagues across the children’s health system and communities.
We want every family to access the support they need to achieve the best start in life for their babies. For perinatal mental health and parent-infant relationship support, this means access to universal services to help spot and respond to issues before they develop into more complex problems.
The development and implementation of the Enhanced Infant Feeding Service provide a community-based frenotomy clinic across LLR, developed through partnership between Family Hubs, LPT, and the ICB.
Babies have a voice – that is, they have a right to have their views taken seriously in decisions affecting their lives. This voice is best interpreted through warm relationships with those who know them well. This resource covers the importance of listening to babies’ views to understand their experiences and give them the best start in life.
A GP recognized a young, struggling single mother's deeper family crises during a routine appointment but had no time to address them. By referring her to a local Family Wellbeing Centre, the mother received holistic support for her child's needs, finances, and wellbeing, which also helped her manage her own health. This case highlights the powerful, necessary partnership between time-pressed GPs, who identify hidden needs, and community hubs, which provide the sustained, practical support families require.
A growing demand on care resources across the health and social care continue to challenge the system. This is leading to missed operational standards, including delayed hospital discharges and potential risks to patient safety. In particular, the availability of community care hours is a key factor in acute hospital delays.
Recognising that fragmented perinatal parent infant mental health support led to poorer outcomes, Sheffield City Council brought together Health, the Local Authority and other key partners to create a citywide Perinatal Mental Health, Infant Mental Health, and Parent Infant Relationship connected pathway of care. The model has enabled increased integration and collaboration across services improved early identification, prevention and equity of access for communities experiencing marginalisation.