Libraries and Family Hubs

Introduction

Family Hubs and libraries share a common purpose: providing welcoming, accessible support that helps children, young people and families thrive. Together, they can create a stronger network of community-based services, combining the integrated support offered through Family Hubs with the trusted reach, universal access and community connections of libraries. Libraries can play a vital role in helping families access information, activities, early help and specialist support in familiar, non-stigmatising spaces at the heart of local communities. 

As Family Hubs continue to develop, libraries are increasingly recognised as key delivery partners, whether as hub sites, network locations or outreach venues. However, realising this potential requires investment in partnership working, staff training, capacity and infrastructure. This toolkit highlights the opportunities created when Family Hubs and libraries work together and provides practical guidance, evidence and examples to support local areas in building connected, preventative and family-centred systems of support. 

Effective integration requires investment in partnership working, staff training, capacity, facilities and digital infrastructure. Library staff bring significant strengths in community engagement and information provision, but supporting a stronger Family Hub role requires access to training, supervision and clear pathways for collaboration with partner services. Resources such as Libraries Rising's SparkSpace programme can help build knowledge and confidence in creating welcoming, inclusive and youth-centred environments. 

This toolkit has been developed to support local authorities, library services and partner organisations to maximise the contribution libraries can make within Family Hub systems. It provides practical guidance, evidence, examples and tools to help areas build connected, preventative and family-centred services. It also recognises that while libraries offer a highly cost-effective platform for delivery, achieving the ambitions described in this toolkit may require additional investment to unlock the full value of libraries as strategic partners in supporting children, young people and families. 

By working together across libraries, Family Hub teams, health, education and voluntary sector partners, local areas can create a more accessible, inclusive and coordinated system of support—one that meets families where they are, strengthens communities and helps children, young people and families thrive. Libraries are not simply venues for Family Hub activities; they are key partners in delivering a modern, preventative and relationship-based support system.

Libraries are uniquely positioned at the heart of communities: trusted, accessible, and open to all. As Family Hubs continue to develop as a key model for integrated support for children, young people, and families, libraries are a core delivery partner in delivering support—whether as full hub sites, network locations, or outreach and engagement points.

This toolkit has been designed to support local authorities, library services, and partner organisations to effectively align and integrate library provision with Family Hub models. It provides practical guidance, examples, and tools to help areas maximise the role of libraries in delivering joined-up, preventative, and family-centred services.

Family Hubs aim to bring together services for families with children aged 0–19 (or up to 25 for those with special educational needs and disabilities), making it easier to access the support they need through a “no wrong door” approach, helping families get the right support more easily wherever they first reach out for help.

 Libraries are a core delivery partner for this ambition. Their universal offer, welcoming environment, and existing reach into diverse communities make them ideal settings for early intervention, information sharing, and service integration.

Why libraries matter to Family Hubs:

• 30% of adults and around two‑thirds of children use libraries each year
• 27% of adult users attend with a child
• 143 million visits annually in England
• Used equally across income groups
• Almost 3000 branches giving easy access across the country
• Free digital and PC access, creative classes, rhyme times and myriad other activities

What makes them distinct from other public services

• No referral, threshold or eligibility
• No stigma or “service identity”
• Used for everyday life (not just when something is wrong)
• Regular, repeat contact over time

Libraries are one of the few public services already used by a broad cross-section of families, including those who do not engage with targeted support. Family Hub systems that do not actively integrate libraries are likely to miss a significant proportion of their local population, particularly those least likely to seek help.

This toolkit explores how libraries can:

• Act as Family Hub sites or network locations, hosting and coordinating services
• Support early identification and engagement through everyday contact with families
• Contribute to auto-enrolment approaches, ensuring families are connected to support as early as possible
• Strengthen community outreach, particularly to underserved groups
• Enhance digital inclusion and access to information and services

It is intended to be used flexibly—whether you are at an early planning stage, expanding an existing Family Hub network, or refining how libraries contribute to delivery. Throughout, the focus is on practical implementation, partnership working, and improving outcomes for children and families.

Realising this potential requires investment in staff training, partnership working and capacity. This guidance sets out what is achievable and the enablers needed to deliver it.

By working together across libraries, Family Hub teams, health, education, and voluntary sector partners, areas can create a more connected, accessible system of support—one that meets families where they are and helps them thrive.

If you do one thing now:

• Map your Family Hub footprint against library locations
• Identify which libraries already host family activity
• Assign a named link between the library service and Family Hub teams

Department For Education Guidance

Best start Family Hubs and Healthy Babies

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. 

Local authorities should establish formal relationships between BSFHs and a wide range of partners, with clear terms of reference defining their partnership. Partnerships will vary by area but are expected to include:

Libraries, cultural organisations, and other community venues as accessible places for information, outreach and service delivery, helping extend reach and embed family support in everyday community spaces 

An outreach delivery plan using inclusive community settings beyond hub buildings – such as early years settings, schools, libraries, youth centres, health settings and VCF spaces – supported by pop-ups, mobile provision (e.g. stay-and-play sessions), and flexible timings to widen reach 

The Role of Libraries in the Family Hubs Agenda

1. Universal Access Points (“No Wrong Door”)

Libraries are uniquely positioned to act as trusted, non-stigmatising community spaces, aligning closely with the Family Hubs ambition of creating a “no wrong door” approach to support. Unlike many statutory services, libraries are part of daily life for families—places people already feel comfortable visiting without fear of judgement or referral thresholds.

They are often the only public service remaining in communities, particularly in rural locations. These makes them easily accessible to those with limited access to transport or reliant on public transport. As a consistently delivered, albeit locally tailored, service across the country, they can act as points of familiarity if people move to new locations, giving some consistency and stable point of reference in a new place. 

A familiar and inclusive frontline service

Libraries are used by a broad cross-section of the community, including families who may not otherwise engage with targeted or specialist services. 43% of young people (10–19) use libraries annually and around two‑thirds of children aged 5–15, while 27% of adult library users bring a child to borrow, browse or return books (DCMS Participation Survey 2023/24 and Taking Part Survey 2019/20).

This universality means they can:

• Reach families at an earlier stage of need
• Engage those who may be reluctant to approach children’s social care or targeted family support
• Provide a neutral environment where support feels accessible rather than interventionist

This makes libraries an important asset in addressing inequalities in access—particularly for families experiencing poverty, social isolation or low confidence in services.

Providing early help information and navigation

Libraries can act as local information hubs, helping families understand what support is available and how to access it. In practice, this might include:

• Curated information points about Family Hub services
• Digital access to local directories and online support
• Staff trained in “making every contact count” conversations
• Signposting to services such as parenting support, health visiting, youth provision or SEND services

Crucially, this support can happen informally—through everyday interactions—helping to normalise help-seeking behaviour.

Supporting those who don’t engage with statutory services

There is a well-recognised cohort of families who remain under the radar until needs escalate. Libraries help bridge this gap by:

• Offering low-threshold, relationship-based engagement
• Hosting community activities that naturally build trust (e.g. rhyme times, homework clubs, youth sessions)
• Allowing professionals to undertake outreach or “pop-up” presence within a familiar setting

For some families, a conversation in a library may be the first step toward accepting wider support.

A soft entry point into Family Hub support

Libraries provide a graduated pathway into more targeted support, reducing the stigma often associated with accessing services. They can function as:

• A first point of contact for information and reassurance
• A place to test out engagement before referral
• A venue for multi-agency drop-ins or clinics (e.g. health, early help, youth workers)

This “soft entry” model is particularly important for adolescents and parents who may not identify themselves as needing formal intervention but are open to guidance.

Enabling equitable access across communities

Libraries are typically geographically distributed and highly accessible, including in rural or underserved areas where dedicated Family Hub buildings may be limited. Their offer supports:

• Flexible access (including evenings, weekends, digital services)
• Inclusive environments for diverse communities
• Reduced travel and logistical barriers

This strengthens the Family Hubs principle that support should be easy to access, locally available and responsive to community need.

Hub and Network Delivery Sites

Libraries can play a flexible and scalable role within the Family Hubs model by operating both as full delivery sites and as part of a wider network of access points. This dual function strengthens the reach, visibility and effectiveness of the overall Family Hub offer.

Libraries as Full Family Hub Sites:

In some areas, libraries are well placed to operate as co-located Family Hub sites, where multiple services are delivered from a single building. With their existing infrastructure, community trust and accessibility, libraries can host a genuinely integrated offer.

In practice, this can include:

• Co-location of professionals such as health visitors, midwives, early help practitioners or youth workers
• Regular delivery of services, including early years sessions, infant feeding support or adolescent-focused provision
• Multi-agency working in a shared space, enabling informal collaboration and quicker decision-making
• Private or semi-private spaces for consultations, advice or family support conversations

This model supports the Family Hubs ambition to bring services together around families, reducing fragmentation and ensuring that support is coordinated, visible and easier to access.

Libraries as Network (Satellite) Sites:

More commonly, libraries operate as network or satellite sites within a broader Family Hub system. In this role, they extend the reach of the hub beyond a central building and into local communities.

As network sites, libraries can:

• Engage families in fun and inclusive activities, such as BookStart Bounce and Rhyme, story time, digital exploration, and sensory spaces
• Provide targeted outreach sessions delivered by Family Hub staff and partners
• Offer information, advice and signposting to local services
• Host time-limited or rotating provision, such as drop-ins, workshops or advice clinics
• Act as a referral point, supporting families to navigate into more specialist services
• Reduce barriers to digital access, with free WiFi and digital inclusion activities

This distributed model is particularly important for ensuring that the Family Hub offer is visible and accessible within neighbourhoods, rather than concentrated in a small number of locations.

A Platform for Multi-Agency Delivery:

Libraries offer high-quality, neutral venues that are attractive to a wide range of partners. As a result, they can act as a shared delivery platform for statutory, voluntary and community services.

Examples include:

• Health services: antenatal appointments, health visitor drop-ins, perinatal mental health support
• Early years provision: stay-and-play, speech and language activities, school readiness programmes
• Parenting and family support: evidence-based parenting programmes, relationship support, advice sessions
• Youth services: youth clubs, careers advice, skills workshops and targeted engagement for teenagers
• Voluntary sector outreach: debt advice, housing support, community wellbeing initiatives

By hosting this range of provision, libraries enable services to meet families where they already are, rather than expecting families to navigate multiple systems and locations.

Extending Geographic Reach and Reducing Inequality:

One of the most significant advantages of libraries is their geographic spread across communities. They are often located in areas where there is strong local identity but limited access to centralised services.

This makes them particularly valuable for:

• Rural areas, where travel to a central hub can be a barrier
• Deprived neighbourhoods, where access to transport and services is more limited
• Communities with lower service engagement, where familiar settings can reduce stigma

By acting as both hubs and network sites, libraries help ensure that the Family Hubs model is not just conceptually universal, but practically accessible to all families, regardless of where they live.

Creating a Connected System Rather Than a Single Building:

A key strength of integrating libraries into Family Hub delivery is that it shifts the model from being building-based to system-based. Instead of relying on one central location, the hub becomes a networked ecosystem of support, with libraries playing a critical connective role.

This enables:

• Greater flexibility in service delivery
• More responsive and locally tailored provision
• Stronger partnership working across agencies
• Improved visibility of support within communities

We have collated some examples of different models of working.

Early Identification and Prevention

Libraries play a vital role in delivering the early identification and prevention ambitions at the heart of the Family Hubs model. Through their regular, informal contact with families and young people, they offer a unique opportunity to spot needs early—often before they escalate into more complex issues.

Everyday Contact as a Preventative Asset

Unlike targeted services that rely on thresholds or referrals, libraries engage families organically and consistently over time. This routine contact allows staff to:

• Build familiarity with individuals and families
• Notice changes in behaviour, presentation or engagement
• Develop a sense of what is typical for a child, young person or parent

Because interactions are informal and non-intrusive, families are more likely to return regularly, creating the conditions for trust-building and early support conversations.

Recognising Emerging Needs

While library staff are not specialists, they are often well placed to notice early indicators of need. These might include:

• A child who is withdrawn, struggling socially or showing delayed language development
• A young person disengaging from study spaces or activities, or in the library during school hours
• A parent expressing stress, isolation, or difficulty managing behaviour
• Repeated requests for help linked to digital access, housing or cost of living pressures

With appropriate training and clear pathways, library staff can act as “curious connectors”, gently exploring concerns and linking families to appropriate support without escalating unnecessarily. They are also a key partner in safeguarding responses; as free open spaces, libraries can be places people go when they are having difficulties in the school day or don’t feel safe at home.

Relationship-Based Engagement

A key strength of the library setting is its ability to facilitate relationship-based practice. Over time, staff can:

• Build rapport with parents, carers and young people
• Create a safe and trusted environment where concerns can be shared
• Encourage conversations that may not emerge in more formal settings

These relationships are often the catalyst for early help engagement. A brief, trusted conversation can be enough to shift a family from reluctance to willingness to accept support.

Encouraging Uptake of Support

Even where services exist, uptake is often a challenge—particularly for families who may feel stigma, fear judgement or simply be unsure where to start. Libraries help bridge this gap by:

• Offering gentle encouragement and reassurance
• Normalising the use of support services
• Providing clear, practical guidance on what to expect
• Connecting families in community spaces, where there are other people, resources and fun activities – people are there for multiple reasons and there can be a sense of anonymity

Because the interaction happens in a familiar environment, families are more likely to act on information and follow through with referrals or self-referrals.

Activities as Natural Touchpoints for Early Help

Library-based activities provide structured yet informal opportunities to engage families and observe needs. These include:

• Rhyme times and story sessions: supporting early language development while enabling staff to notice speech, communication and parent–child interaction
• Homework clubs and study spaces: highlighting gaps in learning, digital exclusion or wider wellbeing concerns among young people
• Reading groups and community events: creating opportunities to engage parents, reduce isolation and surface emerging issues

These activities create repeated, low-pressure interactions where staff can observe patterns and build understanding over time—key ingredients for effective early identification.

Supporting Parents and Carers

Engaging parents and carers is critical to prevention. Library settings enable:

• Informal peer connection between parents
• Opportunities to share advice and experiences
• Access to information on child development, behaviour and wellbeing

In some cases, simply reducing parental isolation can prevent escalation of issues within the home. Libraries therefore contribute to protective factors as well as early intervention. More detail can be found in this report:

Library_rhyme_times_maternal_mental_health.pdf   

Strengthening the Whole-System Early Help Offer

When embedded within a Family Hubs model, libraries become part of a wider early help system, with clear routes for escalation and support. This enables:

• Timely referral into early help, health or specialist services
• Better information flow between universal and targeted provision
• A more coordinated response to emerging needs

Crucially, libraries help shift the system from being reactive to preventative, identifying concerns before they reach statutory thresholds.

Through everyday contact, library staff are well placed to:

• Recognise early signs of need
• Build relationships with families over time
• Encourage uptake of support services

Activities like rhyme time, homework clubs, and reading groups provide natural opportunities to:

• Engage parents and carers
• Spot emerging issues early

This strengthens the early intervention and prevention agenda

Supporting Library Auto-Enrolment and Family Engagement

Library membership opens the door to a wide range of benefits for children, young people and families, including access to books, literacy programmes, digital resources, learning opportunities and community support. Family Hubs provide a valuable opportunity to ensure that every child and family can access these benefits by embedding library membership within family support pathways from the earliest stages of a child’s life. 

Embedding Library Membership into Family Hub Pathways

Family Hubs engage with families at key moments, including birth registration, Start for Life services, health visiting contacts, early years provision and school readiness support. These touchpoints create opportunities to introduce families to their local library service and, where appropriate and data-compliant, streamline or automate library registration processes. 

Embedding library membership into Family Hub pathways can:

• Remove barriers to joining and accessing library services
• Ensure families receive information about local opportunities from an early stage
• Increase access to books, reading and language development activities
• Strengthen connections between universal and targeted family support
• Promote equitable access to community resources for all children and families 

Creating a Library Membership from Birth

A growing number of areas are exploring approaches that make library membership a routine part of childhood. Birth registration services, Family Hubs and early years programmes can act as effective routes for introducing families to library services and helping them engage with reading and learning from the earliest days. 

Examples include:

• Camden's Share and Read with Baby initiative, which provides families with their baby's first library card through the birth registration process.
• Scotland's Every Child a Library Member programme, which seeks to ensure that every child has access to library membership through simplified joining processes.
• Jersey's initiative to provide library membership information at birth registration.
• Newham's borough-wide approach to ensuring all primary-aged children become library members through partnership and data-sharing arrangements. 

These examples demonstrate how local systems can embed library membership within wider family support and early years pathways, helping children access the benefits of reading, learning and community participation from the start. 

Turning Membership into Meaningful Engagement

Library membership is only the first step. The greatest benefits are realised when families actively participate in library activities and make regular use of the resources available to them. Family Hubs can play an important role in encouraging this engagement by promoting library services throughout their work with families. 

This may include:

• Introducing library activities during parenting programmes and family support sessions
• Promoting rhyme times, story sessions and literacy activities
• Encouraging families to access digital resources and learning opportunities
• Signposting families to targeted support and community activities hosted in libraries
• Including library engagement within wider school readiness and early years conversations 

Libraries as Ongoing Community Touchpoints

Once families become library members, libraries provide regular opportunities for ongoing engagement and relationship-building. Through everyday contact, library staff can:

• Welcome families into local activities and programmes
• Help parents and carers understand what support is available
• Encourage participation in Family Hub and community services
• Support digital access and inclusion
• Connect families with information, advice and signposting when needed 

Because libraries are trusted, universal and non-stigmatising spaces, they can maintain engagement with families over time, supporting a preventative and relationship-based approach to family support. 

Reaching Families Who Might Otherwise Miss Out

Despite the availability of services, some families remain less likely to engage because of social isolation, digital exclusion, language barriers or low awareness of available support. Embedding library membership within Family Hub pathways helps ensure that all families have a direct connection to a trusted community resource, while libraries themselves provide an accessible route back into support when additional needs emerge. 

Strengthening a Preventative and Inclusive System

By integrating library membership into Family Hub pathways and promoting ongoing participation in library services, local areas can create a more connected system of support. This approach helps ensure that every child and family has access to opportunities that support literacy, learning, wellbeing and community connection, while strengthening the preventative ambitions at the heart of the Family Hubs model. Libraries and Family Hubs are most effective when they work together to move beyond enrolment and create meaningful, sustained engagement that improves outcomes for children, young people and families.

Supporting Awareness and Entitlement

Many families are unaware of what they are entitled to, particularly where services are complex or fragmented. Libraries can play a key role in:

• Raising awareness of entitlements, including early years support, parenting programmes, youth services and financial or practical help
• Translating complex service landscapes into clear, accessible information
• Supporting digital access for families who may need help navigating online systems

By improving understanding, libraries help ensure that families are able to make informed choices and fully utilise available support.

Digital Inclusion and Access

Digital inclusion is an increasingly critical component of the Family Hubs agenda. As more services move online—whether for information, referrals or direct delivery—digital exclusion has become a significant barrier to access, particularly for the very families most in need of support.

Libraries play a pivotal role in addressing this challenge by providing universal, free and trusted access to digital resources and support, ensuring that no family is excluded from the benefits of a digitally enabled Family Hub system.

Providing Essential Digital Infrastructure

At a basic level, libraries offer free access to technology, which is a cornerstone of equitable service access. This includes:

• Public computers and devices
• Free Wi-Fi and internet access
• Supervised spaces to go online

For many families—particularly those experiencing financial hardship—this may be their only reliable access to the internet. Without this provision, digital elements of Family Hubs (such as online booking, registration or virtual support) would remain inaccessible to a significant proportion of the population.

Supporting Access to Services and Entitlements

Access to services increasingly depends on the ability to navigate online systems. Libraries provide practical, hands-on support to help families:

• Complete online forms (e.g. school admissions, benefits, housing applications)
• Register for Family Hub services and activities
• Access digital health services or appointment systems
• Use local authority platforms and directories

Library staff often provide informal, one-to-one support, helping to reduce anxiety and frustration associated with digital processes. This is particularly important for individuals with low digital confidence, language barriers or limited literacy.

Building Digital Skills and Confidence

Beyond immediate access, libraries contribute to long-term digital inclusion by developing skills and confidence. This includes:

• Structured digital skills training (e.g. basic IT skills, using email, navigating websites, in partnership with Good Things Foundation)
• Support with employability skills such as CV writing and online job searches
• Guidance on using smartphones, apps and online safety

This skills-building role is critical in ensuring that families are not just able to access services once, but are able to engage independently over time. It supports resilience and reduces reliance on crisis-driven support.

Enabling Access to Digital Family Hub Offers

Family Hubs increasingly incorporate digital and hybrid models of delivery, including:

• Online parenting programmes
• Virtual health consultations
• Digital youth support and mentoring
• Online information hubs and self-help resources

Libraries enable families to participate in these offers by:

• Providing the equipment and connectivity required
• Offering private or quiet spaces where appropriate
• Supporting users to log in, navigate platforms and engage confidently

This ensures that digital innovation within Family Hubs does not inadvertently widen inequality, but instead extends reach and flexibility.

Addressing Inequality and Exclusion

Digital exclusion is often closely linked to wider disadvantage, including poverty, low educational attainment and social isolation. Libraries help mitigate these inequalities by:

• Offering a free, open-access service with no eligibility criteria
• Providing support in a non-judgemental, community-based setting
• Reaching groups who may be less likely to access formal support

In doing so, libraries act as a vital equaliser—ensuring that the shift toward digital service delivery does not leave the most vulnerable families behind.

Acting as a Bridge Between Digital and Face-to-Face Support

Importantly, libraries provide a blended model of support, combining digital access with human interaction. This enables:

• Immediate help when families encounter barriers online
• A smoother transition from digital engagement to in-person services
• Greater confidence in using both digital and face-to-face elements of support systems

This bridging role is essential for creating a coherent and inclusive Family Hub experience, where digital services enhance rather than replace human connection.

Community Outreach and Engagement

Libraries play a critical role in community outreach and engagement within the Family Hubs model. Their deep roots in local communities, combined with their universal and accessible nature, position them as powerful platforms for reaching families who might otherwise remain disconnected from support.

Trusted Community Anchors

Libraries are often among the most trusted and recognisable public spaces in a community. This trust is built over time through:

• Consistent presence in neighbourhoods
• Familiar, non-judgemental environments
• Open access without referral or eligibility criteria

As a result, libraries are uniquely placed to engage families who may be wary of statutory services, offering a softer, more approachable route into support systems.

Reaching Underserved and Marginalised Groups

Certain groups are less likely to engage with traditional service models due to barriers such as stigma, language, confidence or past experiences. Libraries help overcome these barriers by:

• Providing universal access, removing the need for formal identification or referral
• Offering safe, inclusive environments for diverse communities
• Working with local partners to deliver targeted outreach within a universal setting

This enables libraries to reach:

• Families experiencing poverty or social exclusion
• Minority ethnic communities or those with language barriers
• Individuals who are digitally excluded or socially isolated

By acting as a bridge into support, libraries ensure that Family Hub services are more equitable and socially inclusive.

Hosting Community-Led Activities and Services

A key strength of libraries is their ability to act as flexible, community-facing venues that can host a wide range of activities and services. This includes:

• Community groups and peer support networks
• Voluntary sector provision and advice sessions
• Cultural, educational and wellbeing activities

Importantly, many of these activities are co-designed or community-led, reflecting local needs and priorities. This increases relevance and engagement, helping to ensure that services resonate with families’ lived experiences.

Enabling Co-Production with Families

The Family Hubs agenda places strong emphasis on co-production—working alongside families to design and deliver services. Libraries provide an ideal setting for this by:

• Offering accessible spaces for community consultation and feedback
• Supporting informal engagement that encourages honest input
• Facilitating partnerships between families, professionals and community organisations

Through this approach, libraries help ensure that services are not only available, but shaped by the people they are intended to support.

A growing number of library services have been developing co-creation programmes through the Libraries Rising Youth Engagement Network, which is designed to:

• Give young people real power in libraries by helping them influence services and decisions that affect them.
• Provide opportunities to co-create activities and shape the services on offer in their local library.
• Encourage young people to learn something new and gaining.
• Support libraries to build positive relationships with local young people.

The benefits of the Youth Engagement Network, include:

• 94% of young people felt their voice was listened to
• 92% felt more welcome in their library
• 61% said they would visit the library more often than before
• 75% reported increased confidence
• 77% gained new skills and knowledge
• 85% felt proud of what they achieved
• 56% of library staff reported increased confidence working with young people

81% reported greater empathy towards young people

Engaging Fathers, Carers and Underrepresented Groups

Libraries are particularly effective at engaging groups who are often underrepresented in family support services. For example:

• Fathers and male carers, who may feel excluded from traditional early years provision, can engage through neutral, activity-based settings
• Extended family members, Foster Carers and kinship carers, who may not identify with formal parenting services
• Teenagers and young adults, who use libraries for study, social connection and digital access

By providing a broader, less formal offer, libraries help diversify participation and ensure that support reaches the whole family.

Supporting Isolated Families

Social isolation is a significant risk factor for a range of poor outcomes, including mental health challenges and reduced access to support. Libraries help mitigate this by:

• Providing welcoming spaces for people to spend time without cost
• Offering group activities that encourage connection and peer support
• Acting as a consistent point of contact within the community

For some families, regular visits to the library may be their primary source of social interaction, making it a key preventative asset within the wider system.

Libraries create visibility for diversity in communities, including:

• Programming and events, from Black History Month, Pride, Dyslexia Awareness Week, Carers Week
• In partnership with The Reading Agency, libraries offer Reading Well Collections - books recommended by health experts, as well as people with lived experience of the conditions and topics covered:
  • Reading Well for Families – books to support families with wellbeing in pregnancy and early years.
  • Reading Well for Children – including understanding neurodiversity and disability, worries, feelings, and dealing with tough times
  • Reading Well for Teenagers - to help with feelings, boost confidence, help manage emotions, and cope with difficult times.

Building and Sustaining Community Trust

Perhaps most importantly, libraries contribute to long-term trust-building between communities and services. This is achieved through:

• Regular, positive interactions with staff
• Visible presence of supportive professionals and partners
• Delivery of reliable, consistent services over time

Trust is a critical enabler of early help—families are far more likely to seek support when they feel it is offered in a respectful, accessible and relationship-based way.

Delivery of Early Years and Literacy Support

Libraries already deliver a range of core early years and literacy interventions that align closely with the priorities of the Family Hubs and Start for Life agenda. As established providers of universal, preventative services, they make a direct and measurable contribution to school readiness, language development and long-term educational outcomes.

90% of primary teachers agree that regular visits to a library help with getting children ‘school ready’.  Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) Providers - Advocating the value of libraries - LibrariesRising

A Strong Foundation in Early Years Support

Libraries have long been central to supporting families in the critical early years (0–5)—a period widely recognised as foundational for cognitive, social and emotional development. Their offer is:

• Universal and accessible, reaching families before needs escalate
• Non-stigmatising, encouraging engagement from a broad range of communities
• Regular and consistent, enabling sustained developmental support over time

This positions libraries as a natural delivery partner within Family Hubs for early years provision.

Bookstart and Early Literacy Programmes

Programmes such asBookstart are a cornerstone of library-led early intervention. Through these initiatives, libraries:

• Provide free books and resources to families
• Promote shared reading and bonding between parent and child
• Encourage the development of early literacy habits from birth

These programmes not only improve children’s exposure to language, but also support parents to feel confident in their role as their child’s first educator. This aligns strongly with Family Hub objectives around parental engagement and home learning environments.

Supporting School Readiness

School readiness is a key priority across education, health and early help systems. Libraries contribute to this agenda by offering activities that build the skills children need to thrive in education, including:

• Rhyme times, story sessions and play-based learning, which support listening, attention and communication. The LGA in partnership with ASCEL (now known as Libraries Rising) and Libraries Connected developed a diagram to show how Rhyme Time sessions support the development of Speech and Language 
• Activities that develop early social skills, such as turn-taking, sharing and group participation
• Opportunities to build familiarity with structured environments similar to school settings

In addition, libraries often support parents with practical guidance, such as preparing children for routines, encouraging reading at home and understanding developmental milestones.

Language and Communication Development

Early language development is one of the strongest predictors of later educational attainment. Libraries play a significant role in this space by:

• Delivering interactive storytelling and singing sessions that build vocabulary and comprehension
• Providing access to a wide range of books and resources that reflect diverse languages and cultures
• Supporting parents to understand the importance of talking, reading and play in language development

Library settings also provide opportunities to identify potential speech, language or communication delays at an early stage, prompting signposting or referral where appropriate.

Supporting the Home Learning Environment

A strong home learning environment is a key protective factor in child development. Libraries contribute by:

• Offering free access to books, learning materials and digital resources
• Encouraging daily reading habits and positive learning routines
• Modelling simple, accessible activities that parents can replicate at home

This is particularly important for families who may lack the financial resources or confidence to support learning independently.

Reaching Families Who Might Otherwise Miss Out

Libraries are particularly effective at engaging:

• Families who are not accessing formal childcare or early years settings
• Parents who may feel excluded from targeted services
• Communities experiencing disadvantage or lower educational attainment

By offering a welcoming and informal environment, libraries help ensure that early years support reaches those who might otherwise be least likely to benefit.

Libraries Rising have the Children and Young People’s Promise, a framework to enable public libraries to deliver great services, spaces and programmes to the youngest members of their community. The Promise cornerstones include:

• Children and young people are inspired by welcoming, inclusive library spaces, with a range of books that mirror the diversity of our world and make reading irresistible.
• Children and young people are enabled with imaginative digital opportunities, building their skills, literacy, knowledge and creativity.
• Children and young people are encouraged to take part in formal and informal learning opportunities.
• Children and young people are engaged by a wide range of creative and cultural experiences.
• Children and young people are actively involved in decisions about library service developments and are offered opportunities to volunteer.
• Children and young people are supported through library services and activities to improve their health and wellbeing.
• This is supported by the Children’s Library Journey, which is intended to map key stages with how libraries can support children throughout their young lives, across a diverse range of lived experiences.

The LGA commissioned Speech and Language UK to undertake a Test and Learn activity in libraries. You can read more about their initial findings here.

In the spring of 2022, the Local Government Association commissioned consultant peers to review library services in eight councils, specifically with regard to how they worked to enhance the local early years offer and, in particular, support for speech, language and communication development. The report of their findings can be found here https://www.local.gov.uk/publications/how-council-library-services-can-support-children-and-families-earliest-years

8  Cost-Effective and Sustainable Infrastructure

Integrating libraries into Family Hub delivery offers a highly cost-effective and sustainable approach to service design, particularly at a time of financial constraint across local government.

Libraries represent a significant existing estate of community-based infrastructure, already embedded within neighbourhoods. By utilising these spaces, local areas can build on trusted venues, established community relationships and existing systems rather than creating entirely new infrastructure. This can provide excellent value for money, enabling councils and partners to maximise the impact of public investment while increasing access to support for children, young people and families.

However, the opportunities described throughout this toolkit should not be viewed as cost-neutral. Realising the full potential of libraries within Family Hub systems requires investment in staffing, training, partnership development, digital infrastructure and, in some cases, adaptations to physical spaces. Family Hub planning offers an important opportunity to recognise libraries as strategic delivery partners and to invest in their capacity to contribute to improved outcomes for families.

By building on existing public assets while providing the resources needed to expand and strengthen delivery, local areas can create sustainable, community-based support systems that deliver significant social value and long-term benefits.

Reducing Duplication and Overheads

Co-locating Family Hub activity within libraries reduces the need for:

• Additional buildings or leases
• Separate reception, management and operational costs
• Multiple service access points that can be confusing for families

By bringing services together within shared spaces, local authorities can create more efficient, streamlined delivery models while improving the user experience.

Supporting Long-Term Sustainability

Perhaps most importantly, using libraries supports the development of a financially and operationally sustainable Family Hub model. This includes:

• Making better use of limited public funding
• Creating flexible, multi-use spaces that can adapt to changing needs
• Embedding services within community settings that are more resilient over time

This helps future-proof provision, ensuring that Family Hubs are not only effective in the short term, but viable and maintainable in the long term.

Workforce and Training

A strong, confident and well-supported workforce is essential to realising the full potential of libraries within the Family Hubs model. While libraries already bring significant strengths in community engagement and information provision, embedding them within a wider early help system requires clear roles, targeted training and effective multi-agency collaboration.

Roles and Responsibilities of Library Staff

Library staff play a distinct but complementary role within the Family Hubs ecosystem. Their responsibilities are not to replace specialist practitioners, but to act as connectors, enablers and trusted points of contact.

In practice, this includes:

• Providing information, and signposting to Family Hub services
• Acting as early identifiers of emerging need through everyday interactions
• Supporting engagement and participation in local activities and services
• Facilitating access to digital and community resources

Clarity around these roles is key to ensuring staff feel confident in their contribution while maintaining appropriate professional boundaries.

Training Needs (Family Support, Safeguarding, Digital Skills)

To support this role effectively, library staff require targeted, proportionate training that equips them to engage safely and confidently with families. Key areas include:

• Family support awareness: understanding the Family Hubs offer, local pathways and how to have supportive, strengths-based conversations
• Safeguarding: recognising signs of risk or harm, and knowing how to respond appropriately in line with local procedures
• Digital skills: supporting families to access online services, complete forms and build digital confidence
• Communication and engagement: working with diverse communities, including those with additional needs or barriers to access

Training should be practical and accessible, focusing on what staff need to know to act appropriately, rather than expecting specialist-level expertise. Spark Space by Libraries Rising is a good example of this training.

Multi-Agency Working

A key strength of the Family Hubs model is integrated, multi-agency delivery, and library staff are an important part of this wider network. Effective collaboration requires:

• Strong relationships with early help teams, health services, schools, youth services and the voluntary sector
• Clear referral and escalation pathways
• Regular opportunities for information sharing and joint working

Libraries can also act as shared spaces for professionals, which helps to break down silos and encourages more coordinated support for families.

Supervision and Support Structures

As library staff take on a more active role in early help, it is essential that they are supported through appropriate supervision and guidance structures. This might include:

• Access to a named contact or link worker within early help or Family Hub teams
• Opportunities for reflective practice and discussion of challenging situations
• Clear escalation routes for safeguarding or complex concerns

Providing this support ensures that staff feel confident, safe and valued, reducing the risk of role drift or burnout.

Volunteer Involvement

Volunteers are a significant strength within many library services and can further enhance the Family Hubs offer when appropriately supported. Their contribution may include:

• Supporting delivery of early years sessions, reading groups or community activities
• Assisting with digital inclusion and one-to-one support
• Acting as peer connectors within communities

To be effective, volunteer involvement should include:

• Clear role definitions and boundaries
• Appropriate training (particularly around safeguarding and confidentiality)
• Ongoing support and supervision

When well integrated, volunteers can extend capacity while strengthening community ownership and participation.

Data, Evaluation, and Impact

Effective use of data is critical to ensuring that libraries’ contribution to Family Hubs is visible, measurable and continually improving. A proportionate, practical approach to data enables services to demonstrate impact while also strengthening delivery.

Data Collection and Reporting Requirements

Libraries need to align with local Family Hub reporting frameworks, contributing relevant data without creating unnecessary burden. This may include:

• Recording attendance at sessions and activities
• Capturing basic demographic information (where appropriate)
• Logging signposting or referrals into Family Hub services

Clear guidance and simple systems are essential to ensure data collection is consistent, meaningful and manageable for staff.

Monitoring Service Uptake (Including Auto-Enrolment Data)

Libraries can play an important role in tracking engagement and reach, particularly for universal services. This includes:

• Monitoring participation in activities such as early years sessions, youth provision or digital support
• Identifying how families are accessing services (e.g. walk-in, signposted, auto-enrolled)
• Highlighting patterns in engagement, including repeat attendance

Where auto-enrolment models are in place, libraries can help assess whether families are moving from registration to actual participation.

Measuring Outcomes and Impact

Beyond attendance, it is important to understand the difference services are making. Libraries can contribute by capturing:

• Soft outcomes, such as increased confidence, reduced isolation or improved parenting confidence
• Early developmental indicators (e.g. communication, school readiness engagement)
• Feedback from families on their experience and perceived benefits

While outcomes may not always be formal or clinical, they provide valuable insight into the preventative impact of universal services.

Continuous Improvement and Feedback Loops

Data should not only be collected—it should be actively used to inform service development. This includes:

• Regular review of participation and feedback data
• Sharing insights with Family Hub partners
• Adapting activities and delivery models in response to emerging needs

Creating simple feedback loops ensures that services remain responsive, relevant and user-focused.

Using Data to Target Services

Libraries can also use data to help target provision more effectively, for example:

• Identifying underrepresented groups and adjusting outreach efforts
• Tailoring activities to meet specific local needs
• Aligning delivery with wider Family Hub priorities (e.g. early years, adolescents, SEND)

This supports a shift from a purely universal offer to one that is both universal and proportionately targeted, maximising impact while maintaining accessibility.

Libraries are not simply venues for Family Hub activities; they are strategic partners in creating accessible, preventative and relationship-based support systems. Recognising, valuing and investing in this role will enable local areas to maximise the impact of both Family Hubs and libraries, ensuring more children, young people and families receive the right support, in the right place, at the right time.