This section brings together a range of resources, case studies, webinars and practical examples to support effective partnership working between Family Hubs and schools. These materials provide insights, inspiration and evidence-informed approaches that local areas can use to strengthen collaboration, share learning and improve outcomes for children and families.
Webinars
Building community power: the Old Kent Road approach to tackling health inequalities
The recording of the session is available to view.
Event Details
Discover how the Old Kent Road Family Zone (OKRFZ) is reshaping local systems through a bold, community‑led model that works with residents to tackle long‑standing health inequalities.
Rooted in Surrey Square Primary School and funded by Impact on Urban Health, the initiative places families at the centre of local decision‑making, addressing issues such as insecure housing, low‑paid work and limited access to safe spaces. With more than 450 residents engaged monthly and partnerships spanning over 20 organisations, the Family Zone shows how schools can act as civic anchors—building trust, creating opportunities and driving sustainable, place‑based change.
Learn directly from an innovative, community‑powered model that is delivering measurable change in one of London’s most under‑resourced neighbourhoods. Gain practical insights into co‑production, early help and partnership‑building that you can apply in your own locality. Understand how to shift power to communities in ways that build long‑term resilience and reduce inequalities.
Ideal for: councils, Family Hubs, education and health partners, VCS organisations, and anyone seeking replicable, place‑based solutions.
Building Bridges : Strengthening education partnerships in family hubs
Please note the section of the webinar where attendees went into breakout rooms is not recorded, but feedback from the rooms is provided.
Event Details
This session explores the links between family hubs and the broader education and childcare sector, and how we can work collaboratively in order to improve the Good Level of Development, ease transitions and improve outcomes for children.
We hear from colleagues from Westminster council and Lyndsy Killip, Executive Deputy Headteacher from the London Community Education Federation on how they work together across the system to support our youngest children.
Resource Links
Centre for Young Lives report
This includes some short case studies of schools working in partnership with family hubs.
An exert from their report :
Partnerships with schools
Schools are a crucial partner for Best Start Family Hubs, sitting at the heart of communities as a focal point for children up to at least sixteen years old and their families. School staff are often experts in the key challenges facing children and their families. In recent years, school staff have increasingly been tasked with delivering more support for children and families outside of the curriculum. Partnerships with the additional support provided by Best Start Family Hubs can be mutually beneficial to both partners and provide a more joined up, holistic offer of support.
Excerpt From the Family Hubs Network
As well as the interface with adult services, including health primary through to specialist and including mental health, what is the relationship with and involvement of schools?
Schools can be the site for Family Hubs and the Family Hubs Network can put local authorities in touch with areas that have gone down this route. Schools certainly need to be integrated with the rest of the local family support infrastructure as they often spot families in early difficulties and provide a range of practical help e.g. to tackle food poverty. It may be that whilst they are key deliverers of support to families they act as spokes or delivery sites to Hubs.
This will depend on whether a) they are the early help front door parents access to find out the full range of support available and b) if schools feel comfortable about getting involved in/providing services to do with complex relational issues within the family including chronic parenting difficulties and couple conflict. If they refer parents to Early Help when they need something beyond what the school offers they are probably a spoke not a Hub.
It’s a little complicated by the fact that many schools are emerging as superb ‘community hubs’ which means they are the ‘go to’ place for a range of community activities. However, this is not the same thing as providing an early help front door when families are experiencing relational and not just practical difficulties.
(Source: Family Hubs: Building Back Better Webinar, hosted by Family Hubs Network and Mutual Ventures, July 2020)
Sources
Working Together to Safeguard Children 2026
A guide to multi-agency working to help, protect and promote the welfare of children
March 2026