Schools and Family Hubs play complementary roles in supporting children, young people and families. By working together, they can provide earlier, more coordinated support, helping children thrive, strengthening family resilience and improving outcomes across education, wellbeing and safeguarding.
Introduction
Family Hubs and schools play complementary roles in supporting children, young people, and their families, and strong partnership working between them is essential for achieving the best outcomes. Schools are often the primary point of contact for children’s education and daily wellbeing, while Family Hubs provide holistic support that addresses wider needs such as parenting, health, early help, and community connections. By working collaboratively, they can share insight, identify emerging needs earlier, and coordinate support more effectively, ensuring families receive the right help at the right time. This joined-up approach not only strengthens safeguarding and improves educational engagement, but also builds resilience within families and communities, enabling children to thrive both in and beyond the classroom.
Guidance
From the Department for Education Family Hubs and Healthy Babies Guidance for local authorities April 2026 to March 2029
Work in partnership with early education and childcare providers, schools and trusts to deliver the BSFH network, sites and model
Local authorities will lead local system transformation by acting as strategic commissioners and convenors. They will bring together health partners, public services, early education and childcare providers, schools, and the private, voluntary, community, and faith sectors to create a coherent local offer that makes best use of local expertise, resources and relationships
Best Start Network Sites will be other, trusted, community locations that extend reach. They will deliver at least one BSFH or Healthy Babies service on a regular, sustained basis – for example, related to health, early years education, parenting, or early SEND support – and can connect families with others. These sites might be early years settings, including specialist settings and schools, libraries, health and faith venues, leisure and recreation centres, and other voluntary, community or faith (VCF) venues, private and public buildings. They should be identified as part of the Best Start network
Exploring opportunities to align with other DfE initiatives to improve school-readiness and child outcomes, including to:
- Link BSFHs with phase 3 of the expansion of school-based nurseries and with partnerships between early years settings (including schools), where they exist, to create seamless early years pathways that operate as part of a joined‑up local system and support transition to school
- Play a wider strategic and system level role in collaborating with early years settings and schools to support children with additional needs and their families, forming part of the BSFH’s broader partnership work with the EY sector and underpinned at a working level by the BSIP role.
Key Benefits of Partnerships
Key benefits of schools and family hubs working in partnership include:
- Improved Educational Outcomes and Attendance: By addressing external barriers (e.g., family stress, financial issues) through early help, schools see better attendance and student attainment.
- Seamless Support and Access: Hubs work directly with schools to provide services that parents can access conveniently, often using schools as "spokes" for distributing support.
- Enhanced "School Readiness": Joint working, such as promoting early literacy and language ensures children start school better prepared, especially those with additional needs.
- Early Intervention and Reduced Risk: Early identification of issues—such as speech delays or behavioural concerns—happens through joint staff expertise, allowing for faster, preventative action.
- Improved Parental Engagement: Parents feel more comfortable engaging with services in familiar settings (school environments), which increases trust and access to resources like mental health support or parenting classes.
- Stronger Communication and Cohesion: Regular, open dialogue between hub staff and school staff ensures that families receive consistent support rather than fragmented services, creating a "team around the family" approach.
‘Strong multi-agency and multi-disciplinary working is vital to identifying and responding to the needs of children and families’.
Working Together to Safeguard Children 2026
Ideas for Family Hubs and Schools Working Together
In this toolkit we look at some ideas on how Family Hubs and Schools can work together:
1. Agree Shared Vision and Principles
- A clear statement outlining the purpose and benefits of partnership working
- Agreed principles (e.g. early help, whole-family approach, safeguarding, inclusion)
- Alignment with local priorities and statutory responsibilities
For example;
A shared, place-based approach where Family Hubs and schools work in close partnership to provide joined-up, early support for children and families—combining education, health, and community services to improve wellbeing, strengthen family resilience, and enable every child to achieve their full potential.
2. Agree Roles and Responsibilities
- Overview of what Family Hubs offer vs. what schools provide
School vs Family Hub Support
|
Area of Support |
School |
Family Hub |
|
Core Role |
Education and academic progress |
Early help, family support, and wellbeing |
|
Primary Focus |
Teaching, learning, attendance, attainment |
Whole-family support and early intervention |
|
Access Point |
Universal – all children attend |
Universal and targeted – open access and referred support |
|
Child Development |
Curriculum delivery, monitoring progress, SEN support |
Early development support, parenting advice, play-based learning |
|
Pastoral Support |
Behaviour support, safeguarding, attendance teams |
Parenting programmes, family relationships, emotional wellbeing |
|
Health Support |
Links to school nursing, basic wellbeing support |
Direct links to health services (e.g. midwifery, health visiting, perinatal support) |
|
Family Engagement |
Parent evenings, school communication, support for learning |
Wider family support, parenting guidance, community engagement |
|
Early Help |
Identification of need and referral into services |
Delivery and coordination of early help services |
|
Special Educational Needs (SEND) |
SEN support plans, EHCP processes |
Advice, signposting, early identification, family support |
|
Transitions |
Preparing children for next stage of education |
Supporting families through key transitions (e.g. into school) |
|
Community Role |
Local anchor for children’s education |
Community hub connecting services and support in one place |
|
Referral Role |
Identifies need and refers families to Family Hubs and other services |
Receives referrals and coordinates appropriate support |
|
Support for Parents |
Guidance on supporting learning at home |
Broader parenting support (e.g. routines, behaviour, finances, relationships) |
- Defined roles for key staff (e.g. Family Hub practitioners, DSLs, SENCOs, pastoral leads)
- Suggested governance or coordination structures
3. Communication and Information Sharing
‘No single practitioner can have a full picture of a child’s needs and circumstances so effective sharing of information between practitioners, local organisations and agencies is essential for early identification of need, assessment, and service provision to keep children safe. Rapid reviews and child safeguarding practice reviews have highlighted that missed opportunities to record, understand the significance of, and share information in a timely manner can have severe consequences for children’.
Working Together to Safeguard Children 2026
- Protocols for information sharing that align with GDPR and safeguarding requirements
- Practical guidance on when and how to share concerns or updates
- Templates for consent forms and information-sharing agreements
- Suggested communication channels (e.g. regular liaison meetings, named link workers)
4. Referral Pathways and Thresholds
- Clear, simple referral processes between schools and Family Hubs
- Threshold guidance to help practitioners identify when families may need early help
‘Safeguarding partners should publish a threshold document, which sets out the local criteria for action in a way that is transparent, evidence-based, accessible, and easily understood’.
Working Together to Safeguard Children 2026
- Flowcharts showing routes into support services
- Feedback loops so schools know outcomes of referrals
5. Joint Working Models
- Examples of effective partnership approaches (e.g. co-location, outreach in schools, drop-ins)
- Case studies demonstrating impact
- Guidance on multi-agency working, including Team Around the Family (TAF) processes
‘Whatever their circumstances, children and families should not be left waiting to access help and support when issues arise. The system of help, support and protection should respond flexibly and wrap support around families at the point of need. These are the principles that underpin Family Help. Family Help aims to improve outcomes for children by understanding and responding to their needs, and to the circumstances of their family, as early as possible. It takes place at the heart of communities, bringing together local services under a combined, multi-disciplinary practice approach and service offer’.
Working Together to Safeguard Children 2026
6. Engaging Families
- Strategies for building trust and encouraging take-up of support
- Practical tips for inclusive engagement (e.g. working with diverse communities, addressing stigma)
Resources to help schools promote Family Hub services to parents
- Parent-friendly leaflets and flyers
Clear, accessible materials explaining what Family Hubs offer, who they are for, and how to access support. - Digital content for school channels
Ready-made text and graphics for newsletters, websites, emails, and parent apps (e.g. Arbor, ParentMail). - Examples
- Social media toolkits
Pre-written posts and images schools can share on platforms like Facebook or X to raise awareness. - Posters for school settings
Visual displays for reception areas, noticeboards, and classrooms to highlight local Family Hub services. - Short explainer videos
Simple videos introducing Family Hubs, including real-life examples of support available to families. - Template letters/email messages
Standard messages schools can personalise when signposting families to specific services or events. - Workshop/session materials
Slide decks or scripts schools can use at parent evenings or coffee mornings to introduce Family Hubs. - Referral guidance for parents
Step-by-step information on how families can self-refer or request support through the school. - Case studies or success stories
Real examples showing how Family Hubs have supported families, helping to build trust and understanding. - FAQs for parents
Clear answers to common questions (e.g. confidentiality, eligibility, types of support available). - Co-branded materials
Resources featuring both school and Family Hub branding to reinforce partnership working.
Key Aim
To make it as easy as possible for schools to confidently and consistently communicate the value of Family Hubs, increasing awareness and encouraging early engagement from families
- Shared safeguarding expectations and escalation routes
- Integration with early help assessments and plans
- Guidance on identifying emerging needs and preventing escalation
8. Data and Impact Measurement
- Suggested indicators of success (e.g. attendance, wellbeing, parental engagement)
- Simple tools for tracking outcomes and evaluating impact
- Guidance on using data jointly to inform planning and commissioning
9. Training and Workforce Development
- Joint training opportunities for school staff and Family Hub teams
- Topics such as trauma-informed practice, parental conflict, SEND, and mental health
- Induction materials for new staff on partnership working
10. Practical Tools and Templates
- Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) templates
- Referral forms and consent forms
- Meeting agendas and record templates
- Action planning and review templates
11. Leadership and Sustainability
- Guidance for senior leaders on embedding partnership working
- Tips on maintaining relationships despite staff turnover
- Approaches to continuous improvement and co-production with families
Supporting Transitions: The Role of Family Hubs
Family Hubs can play a key role in supporting smooth and successful transitions for children moving from early years settings into school. This period is a critical point in a child’s development, and a coordinated, whole-family approach can help build confidence, readiness to learn, and positive long-term outcomes.
Family Hubs are well placed to act as a connector between early years providers, schools, health services and families, ensuring that support is joined up and responsive to need. By fostering strong local partnerships, they can help create a shared understanding of school readiness and promote consistent messages to families.
Key contributions of Family Hubs include:
- Early identification and support: Working with early years settings to identify children and families who may benefit from additional help and ensuring timely access to services such as speech and language support, parenting programmes or SEND advice.
- Preparing children for school: Delivering or coordinating programmes that support children’s social, emotional and communication development, helping them build the skills needed to thrive in a school environment.
- Engaging and empowering parents: Providing trusted, accessible support to parents and carers, helping them understand what to expect from school, how to support learning at home, and how to manage the transition confidently.
- Information sharing and coordination: Facilitating effective information-sharing (with consent) between settings and schools, so that teachers have a fuller understanding of each child’s needs from the outset.
- Reducing inequalities: Targeting support for families who may face additional barriers, helping to narrow gaps in school readiness and improve outcomes for disadvantaged children.
- Creating continuity of support: Ensuring that families experience a seamless journey between services, with clear pathways into ongoing support once a child starts school.
Embedding Family Hubs within transition planning helps create a more integrated, preventative system that supports both children and their families at a key stage of development, laying strong foundations for future learning and wellbeing.
Salford City Council used the additional funding allocated through the Family Hubs and Start for Life programme to invest in its Early Help Assessments, which identify the strengths and needs of children. These assessments focus on seven key areas – health, education, behaviour and routines, family and community, finances, housing, and safety – and help practitioners to identify the areas of greatest need. Salford also works closely in partnership with schools and health services. For example, the Salford Schools Partnership is a new model of Early Help which aims to enable timely provision of early intervention and preventative services, reducing the number of cases held and referred to children’s social care and other specialist services.
From
Case studies on the implementation of family hubs: Emerging strategies for success
https://www.coram.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Family-Hubs-case-study-final-v2-10072023.pdf
The Family Hubs Test, Learn and Grow Team are currently undertaking some work in the Manchester region focusing on:
- Exploring how Family Hub services could be better integrated with schools and early years settings with lower Good Level of development outcomes. Using a test and learn approach, we plan to understand the problem space, codesign a solution and test it on a small scale and take the learnings to refine it.
- The project is particularly interested in understanding how families experience support today, how well services are connected, and how Family Hubs, schools and early years settings can work together more effectively to reach families who may benefit most from additional support.
Northumberland are exploring how to better integrate Family Hubs with Early Years and school settings to ensure more children achieve a good level of development (GLD).
They are currently looking at how to ensure more children start school ready to learn and how to provide the right families with the right support as early as possible.
Learning from these Test Learn and Grow activities will be shared in due course.