Resetting the relationship between local and national government. Read our Local Government White Paper

Case studies

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.

Filter by topics
Filter by support type
Your search returned 38 results

Using a SportPlus approach to improve support and outcomes for young people in or at risk of entering the Youth Justice System

The £5 million Ministry of Justice programme (2022) used sport to enhance positive outcomes for vulnerable young people in the context of youth crime.

View allChildren and young people articles
View allCommunity safety articles
View allPublic health articles
View allMental health articles

Bournemouth: A multi-agency response to railway-related deaths

In Bournemouth, a cluster of suicides linked to the railways led to targeted action by public health, council, transport and community partners. The response included a strong focus on communications, helping to change how the local media reports on suicide and mental health.

View allMental health articles

Camden and Islington: A psychotherapy service for care-experienced young adults

The two London boroughs of Camden and Islington have used some of their suicide prevention funding to provide a dedicated psychotherapy service for young adults leaving care. Tailored support is delivered in community settings through a local voluntary sector partner, the Brandon Centre.

View allMental health articles

Mid and South Essex: Weekly telephone calls for people newly diagnosed with depression

Mid and South Essex residents who are newly diagnosed with depression can be referred to a ‘Wellbeing Calls’ service which provides additional support in the first few weeks after diagnosis. Delivered by two local voluntary sector partners, the service supported almost 700 people in the year 2022/23.

View allMental health articles

Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin: Bereavement support for people affected by suicide

Through the local authority public health teams in Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin, a proportion of the NHS England suicide prevention funding was allocated to develop a suicide bereavement service. This provides emotional and practical support to people affected by a suicide, possible suicide or sudden and unexplained death.

View allMental health articles

West Yorkshire: Reducing risk of suicide in the Gypsy and Traveller community

West Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership is working to ensure that people who have been affected by suicide can help to shape the training, support and resources on offer. One project has been looking to reduce the risk of suicide within West Yorkshire’s Gypsy and Traveller community.

View allMental health articles

Providing men at risk of suicide with emotional support and advice with employment, housing, and financial difficulties.

The Hope service provides psychosocial and practical support for men aged 30–64 who are at risk of suicide, advising them in relation to any money, employment, benefit, or housing problems they may identify.

View allMental health articles
View allHealth articles

Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council: Developing an attempted suicide follow-up service

The Psychosocial Engagement Team service was developed as a six-month pilot project, where referrals were made by A&E mental health liaison teams into a six to eight week programme focused on problem-solving and support. In six months, 100 referrals were made, with 85 per cent engagement. The pilot has been evaluated and embedded into the mental health pathway. This case study was done jointly with the National Suicide Prevention Alliance and forms part of our suicide prevention resource.

View allMental health articles

Community-based mental health and suicide prevention interventions for men – learnings and evidence from Cheshire and Merseyside

Like many areas, reaching and engaging middle aged men in suicide prevention activities is an important objective for the Champs Public Health Collaborative. The Collaborative commissioned Everton in the Community and Edge Hill University to conduct an evaluation of funded projects and a rapid evidence review of the effectiveness of these interventions. This case study was done jointly with the National Suicide Prevention Alliance and forms part of our suicide prevention resource.

View allMental health articles

Hertfordshire County Council and Stevenage Borough Council: A new crisis café to prevent suicide at a high-risk location

From March to October 2021, there was a reported increased in the number of suicide attempts, fatalities, and interventions at Stevenage train station. A Task and Finish Group was set up to quickly explore what support could be offered locally to people in crisis at the station. A NightLight crisis café has been opened close to the station, with 108 visits in the first month alone. This case study was done jointly with the National Suicide Prevention Alliance and forms part of our suicide prevention resource.

View allMental health articles