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.
This case study examines how Torbay Council and its partners developed robust data sharing arrangements across three agencies to improve Family Hub service delivery. It highlights practical steps including establishing a shared vision and transitioning from separate IT systems to a single centralised platform, offering valuable lessons for other local authorities implementing multi-agency data sharing.
In June 2025, Dudley Council launched a new spoke within its Family Hub Network at Halesowen Leisure Centre, marking a significant step in expanding access to integrated support for families.
Barnsley’s Family Hub network works across the borough to ensure families receive the right support in the right place at the right time. A central part of the Family Hubs offer is support for parents. The approach is rooted in the belief that stronger parent–child relationships lead to better outcomes for children, and that early support should be available in familiar, local settings, without judgement.
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.
In 2019, Plymouth consulted with children and families across the city to understand their perspectives on babies’, children’s and young people’s services. The consultation found that families had to navigate a complex system to access support. Furthermore, vulnerable families were sometimes distressed when they interacted with too many practitioners who they did not have an existing relationship with, reiterating their story multiple times.
Historically, breastfeeding rates in Coventry have been below the national average. The infant feeding team wanted to harness the opportunity presented by the Family Hubs and Start for Life programme to increase engagement with their infant feeding services and encourage more mothers to breastfeed.
Two years before receiving funding from the Family Hubs and Start for Life programme, the team in Islington completed a Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA) of the 0-5 population and their families. Following the introduction of the Family Hub model, an additional wider needs assessment of the 0-18 population (and 0-25 for special educational needs) was completed in line with Family Hub and Start for Life programme expectations. Together, this helped to identify key areas of focus for Islington’s Start for Life services.
Despite not having received Family Hubs and Start for Life programme funding, Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (RBKC) and Westminster City Council wanted to strengthen the delivery of their Start for Life Offer through increased integration and formalisation of services.
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.
Prior to the Family Hubs and Start for Life Programme, North Lincolnshire’s parent-infant relationship service model primarily targeted families with the most pressing needs, however there was limited support available for those with mild or moderate needs.