Best Start Network Sites: Research and Practice Guide

Best Start Network Sites are a key component of a place-based approach to improving outcomes for babies, children and families. They provide opportunities to extend the reach of Family Hubs and wider early help services, making support more accessible through trusted community settings and strengthening connections between services, families and communities.  

Network Sites are not simply additional venues for service delivery. At their best, they form part of an integrated local system that enables families to access support easily, receive consistent information and benefit from coordinated services that respond to local needs. Whether operating from schools, early years settings, libraries, community centres, health facilities or voluntary sector venues, Network Sites can help ensure that families are able to access support where they live and where they already feel comfortable.  

This toolkit has been developed to support Local Authorities in planning, developing, sustaining and improving Best Start Networks. It brings together learning from Family Hubs, Start for Life/Healthy Babies, community development approaches and local authority practice. 

The toolkit is organised around four interconnected areas: 

Together, these sections provide a framework for moving from strategic ambition to effective and sustainable delivery. 

Developing a successful Best Start Network begins with a clear understanding of local need and a strategic approach to service design. While suitable venues are important, the effectiveness of a Network Site is determined less by the building itself and more by its ability to connect families with support, reduce barriers to access and contribute to improved outcomes for children and families.  

Strategic planning should be grounded in robust evidence drawn from local data, service intelligence and direct engagement with families. Local Authorities should use information from Joint Strategic Needs Assessments, early years sufficiency assessments, Family Hub planning activity, health data and community engagement to develop a comprehensive understanding of local need. Equally important is the insight provided by families themselves. Parent forums, focus groups, community conversations, parent champions and mystery shopper exercises can reveal barriers and opportunities that may not be visible through performance data alone.  

Understanding need provides the foundation for mapping existing provision and community assets. Effective mapping should capture not only statutory services such as Family Hubs, children's centres, schools and health settings, but also the wider strengths that exist within communities. Voluntary organisations, faith groups, community leaders, peer networks and parent champions can all contribute significantly to the success and sustainability of a network. Building on these assets helps avoid duplication and encourages a more community-centred approach to service development.  

The identification of priority communities should be driven by evidence rather than the availability of buildings. Areas experiencing higher levels of deprivation, poorer outcomes, lower engagement with services or increased population growth may benefit from additional access points and targeted investment. Once priorities have been identified, Local Authorities can consider which venues are best placed to meet local needs. Successful network sites are typically accessible, trusted by the community and capable of supporting a range of activities and services.  

Accessibility, safeguarding and sustainability should remain key considerations throughout the process. Local Authorities should consider physical accessibility for children and adults with disabilities, proximity to public transport routes and the availability of suitable facilities for families with young children. Safeguarding arrangements, health and safety requirements, confidentiality and digital connectivity should also be assessed before a site is approved.  

When considering potential Network Sites, Local Authorities should take account of wider public estate opportunities. The Local Government Association's One Public Estate programme supports councils to review and optimise the use of public assets, including opportunities for co-location, shared space and community use of public buildings. Engagement with local property and estate teams may help identify venues that can support Best Start delivery while making more effective use of existing public resources. 

While strategic planning provides the foundation, successful delivery depends upon strong and sustainable partnerships. Best Start Networks are most effective when they bring together organisations that collectively contribute to improved outcomes for children and families. These partnerships extend beyond the Local Authority to include early years providers, schools, health services, voluntary organisations, faith groups, community organisations and businesses.  

Partnership working should be driven by a shared vision and a commitment to improving outcomes for families. Developing this shared understanding is often the first step in building effective networks. Partners are more likely to engage when they understand both the purpose of the network and the value their organisation can bring to achieving common goals. Early conversations should therefore focus on outcomes rather than structures or governance arrangements.  

Sustainable partnerships require clarity around roles, expectations and responsibilities. Depending on local circumstances, this may involve formal agreements such as Memoranda of Understanding, referral protocols or data-sharing arrangements. However, partnership arrangements should remain proportionate and should support collaboration rather than create unnecessary bureaucracy. Regular communication, shared learning opportunities and Communities of Practice can help maintain engagement and strengthen relationships over time.  

Across the country, a range of successful partnership models are emerging. Some areas have developed integrated delivery sites which bring together health visiting, infant feeding support, perinatal mental health services and Family Hub activities in a single location, making it easier for families to access multiple forms of support. Others have strengthened partnerships with schools and early years providers, using settings that families already access regularly as local community access points for parenting support, family services and early intervention activities. 

Voluntary, community and faith sector organisations have also played a significant role in successful network development. In many areas, these organisations lead outreach activities and are instrumental in engaging communities that have traditionally been less likely to access statutory services. Parent Champion programmes have similarly demonstrated the value of involving parents as active partners in promoting services, gathering feedback and strengthening community ownership. Libraries, village halls and community centres have also proved highly effective as trusted venues that provide accessible and non-stigmatising routes into support. 

Long-term sustainability should be considered from the outset. This includes exploring opportunities for joint commissioning, alternative funding sources, in-kind contributions and partnerships with local businesses. Ultimately, the role of the Local Authority is not merely to coordinate individual organisations, but to provide system leadership that creates the conditions for collaboration, innovation and continuous improvement. 

As partnerships develop, the focus shifts towards creating a genuinely integrated network. The success of a Best Start Network is not determined by the number of sites it contains, but by how effectively those sites function as part of a coordinated system that enables families to access support easily and consistently.  

Families should experience the network as a single offer regardless of where they first engage. Whether accessing support through a Family Hub, school, health setting or community venue, they should encounter a joined-up system that helps them find the right support without having to navigate complexity themselves. This "no wrong door" approach lies at the heart of integrated network development.  

Effective referral pathways are a critical component of integration. These pathways should be designed around family needs rather than organisational structures and should support smooth transitions between services. Strong networks establish clear responsibilities, consistent processes and mechanisms for feedback and communication between partners. Informal relationships and professional trust are often just as important as formal referral routes in ensuring families receive timely support.  

For many families, particularly those experiencing multiple challenges, navigating support can be complex and overwhelming. Integrated networks should therefore focus on reducing complexity and creating a more coordinated experience. This may involve dedicated navigation roles, stronger signposting arrangements or shared approaches to supporting families across organisations. The underlying aim is that families experience support as connected and accessible, regardless of which service they initially approach.  

Integration also requires coordinated delivery. As networks grow, Local Authorities should consider how activities, staffing and outreach are planned across sites to avoid duplication and maximise reach. Particular attention should be given to underserved communities, with outreach and flexible delivery models helping to ensure that support remains accessible to all families.  

Many Local Authorities already have established pathways that can support network development, including SEND arrangements, speech and language pathways, health visiting services and Early Help systems. Aligning Network Sites with these existing structures helps create a coherent local offer and reduces unnecessary duplication. For example, existing speech, language and communication pathways can provide useful learning around integrated working, workforce development and referral processes. Best Start Networks should build upon these existing arrangements wherever possible rather than creating parallel structures.  

Across the country, a range of integrated delivery models are emerging. In some areas, Family Hubs act as coordination centres linking a wide range of delivery sites through shared communications, workforce development and referral pathways. In rural areas, hub-and-spoke approaches often utilise libraries, village halls and community centres to extend the reach of support. Other authorities have developed integrated health and family support pathways that bring together health visitors, speech and language therapists, early years practitioners and community organisations to support earlier identification of need and more coordinated interventions.  

As networks mature, integration can extend beyond service coordination into broader community development approaches. By connecting formal services with community assets, peer networks, volunteers and local organisations, Best Start Networks can help create stronger and more resilient communities that are better placed to support children and families over the long term.  

Strategic planning, partnership development and integration all contribute to successful delivery, but ongoing quality assurance and monitoring are essential to ensure that Best Start Networks continue to improve and achieve their intended outcomes. Quality assurance should not be viewed as a compliance exercise. Rather, it should be understood as a process of continuous learning and improvement that helps networks remain responsive to local needs and changing circumstances.  

A proportionate quality assurance framework can provide confidence that sites are delivering high-quality support while also creating opportunities for reflection and innovation. Effective frameworks typically consider service quality, accessibility, safeguarding, family experience, partnership effectiveness, outcomes and governance. The emphasis should remain on collecting information that can genuinely support improvement rather than creating unnecessary reporting burdens.  

The most effective quality assurance arrangements promote learning rather than compliance. Networks should create opportunities for reflection, peer challenge and shared problem-solving. This is particularly important when delivery takes place across multiple sites and organisations. Continuous improvement depends on partners being willing to share learning, identify challenges and use evidence to inform future action.  

Monitoring should examine both reach and impact. Understanding whether Network Sites are engaging priority communities is just as important as measuring overall attendance. Local Authorities should use participation data, demographic information and family feedback to assess whether support is reaching the families who need it most and to identify any ongoing barriers to access. Particular attention should be paid to those communities that have historically experienced poorer access to services.  

Family experience should sit at the centre of monitoring arrangements. Surveys, focus groups, family forums, parent champion feedback and mystery shopper approaches can provide valuable insight into how services are experienced and where improvements may be needed. Demonstrating how feedback has influenced decision-making is an important part of building trust and encouraging continued engagement.  

Outcome measurement remains one of the most significant challenges for local areas. While activity measures provide useful information, they do not on their own demonstrate impact. Networks should seek to understand how their work contributes to outcomes such as improved parent confidence, increased access to support, stronger community connections, improved speech and language development, earlier identification of need and greater school readiness. Combining quantitative and qualitative evidence provides a richer understanding of impact and supports more informed decision-making.  

Data should be used as a tool for improvement rather than reporting alone. Bringing together information from multiple partners can help identify emerging issues, understand changing demand and inform decisions about service planning and resource allocation. As outcome frameworks and integrated data approaches continue to develop nationally, Local Authorities will have increasing opportunities to strengthen the evidence base supporting Best Start Networks.  

Strong governance arrangements help ensure that monitoring information is used effectively. Governance structures should provide strategic oversight, support accountability and create opportunities for leaders to identify priorities for improvement. Aligning Best Start governance with existing Family Hub and partnership arrangements can help reduce duplication and embed Network Sites within wider local systems.  

Peer review and shared learning should form an important part of quality assurance activity. Communities of Practice, regional networks, webinars and case study development provide valuable opportunities for Local Authorities to learn from one another and build upon existing good practice. In this way, quality assurance becomes not simply a process of monitoring performance, but a mechanism for supporting sector-wide improvement and innovation.