Connecting Communities: A Family Hubs and Libraries Toolkit

A collection of practical tools, templates, evidence, case studies and learning resources to support effective partnership working between libraries and Family Hubs, helping local areas strengthen support for children, young people and families.

Exploring how libraries and Family Hubs can work together to create accessible, preventative and family-centred support systems, highlighting the unique role libraries play in improving outcomes for children, young people and families through trusted community-based services.

Bradford Libraries Rhyme Challenge started in 2017 from an idea originating from BookTrust, the UK’s largest children’s reading charity. The challenge is simple. Parents and children are asked to five rhymes together to receive a certificate. In Bradford, the library service produces the challenge and encourages take up with child care settings, toddler groups and libraries across the district. Rhymes are chosen in collaboration with early years groups and then packs are designed, printed and distributed usually from September to March.

Libraries across Dorset host a range of early years programmes such as Rhyme Times, Library Gets Lively and Story Times to support early language development and a love of books and reading. Following a Rhyme Time session at Portland Library, staff identified a need to develop their sessions in response to the requirements of some of their families; in the main the isolation of some parents who found it difficult to break into established groups, or who were new to the area and had not developed relationships with other parents.

The Story Buses were initially launched in January 2020. The buses arose from the need to replace the library vehicle fleet and resulted in two Story Buses, named Sam and Nelly by the children, with exciting exterior designs by illustrator Nick Sharratt and interiors with well-designed spaces to sit and read.

The Start Well Wheel is a tool for parents/carers to track all appointments and key milestones in their child’s life.

The BookTrust’s Storytime Prize aims to build confidence and enjoyment in sharing books with children and encourage visits to the library, by inviting families to explore and vote for their national Storytime prizewinning book.

Little Troopers is a cross-agency partnership between Swindon Libraries and Information Service, Family Nurse Partnership, Housing, and Care Leavers teams to support young, vulnerable families. The open, drop-in group is for parents up to 25 years, with the average age around 20, and their children up to age three.

Stoke were wanting to increase children’s early language and communication skills through a variety of interventions. One was to support early years practitioners to deliver more effective music sessions through a programme of training. They also wanted to use the music sessions to support parents’ engagement with their children and enhance their home learning environment.

As part of the LGA/Arts Council England cultural improvement programme libraries work strand, the LGA with financial support from Arts Council England have developed a small number of case studies showcasing different service delivery models and approaches taken as libraries reposition as part of a place's wider cultural offer.

BookTrust and Barnsley Council’s Public Health and Communities Directorate partnered on a pilot in The Dearne to provide families in high-deprivation areas with increased access to shared reading support.