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.
With agencies across Sefton recognising the need to involve the public on key issues, it was important to find a way to coordinate and consolidate the work.
Staffordshire County Council’s Edge Of Care service targets an innovative package of intensive support to families on the edge of care, in order to change the lives of our most vulnerable families for the better and avoiding the need for costly, statutory intervention.
Family Safeguarding Teams are multi-agency teams that work with child protection and child in need cases. The Family Safeguarding project allows adult specialists and social workers to focus on direct, relationship-based therapeutic work.
Working with schools is, of course, an essential part of tackling teenage pregnancy. Investing in good quality relationships and sex education is something many areas have done, but Bristol City Council has taken that a step further by establishing a network of drop-in sessions in secondary schools.
North Tyneside has seen a significant reduction in the teenage pregnancy rate of 74 per cent since 1998. At the heart of North Tyneside Council’s success has been its partnership working which has allowed it to make great strides in creating youth-friendly services.
Public health curriculum adviser Alice Cruttwell has developed the programme for years 1 to 11 over the past six years with the aim of not only tackling teenage pregnancy, but also addressing safeguarding issues and improving the self-confidence and selfesteem of young people too.
Leicestershire has had great success reducing teenage pregnancy rates – latest figures show a fall of over 60 per cent since 1998. But the county council’s public health team has also invested time and effort in supporting young parents.
When responsibility for public health transferred to local government in 2013, HIV rates in London were rising. This case study explains how effective stakeholder engagement and clear communication brought all 33 London boroughs together to tackle the issue and deliver change.