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.
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.
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.
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.
Coventry City Council, along with the multiagency partnership, has developed a city-wide model of integrated family support through eight Family Hub locations.
The Public Health team within Hackney Council is working with partners across maternity and children’s services to promote holistic awareness and support for foetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD)--an often overlooked and underdiagnosed health condition affecting children and families exposed to alcohol during pregnancy.
Blackpool Council has developed a unique campus model for delivering integrated services to children, young people, and families. This model is built around three Family Hubs located in the north, central, and south areas of Blackpool.
Liverpool City Council’s Parenting Team coordinated the expansion of the programme, working with schools, Family Hubs, children’s centres, prisons, and community organisations. Through coproduction, outreach, and targeted training, staff across the city were supported to become parent group facilitators, by training to deliver the 10-week group-based Programme.