Innovation in local government is about improving the lives of the people in our
communities. Browse through our case studies to see the many innovative programmes councils are involved
in.
In June 2025, Dudley Council launched a new spoke within its Family Hub Network at Halesowen Leisure Centre, marking a significant step in expanding access to integrated support for families.
Barnsley Council has six area councils and 21 ward alliances involving all councillors along with local community representatives. These both have devolved powers and dedicated funding to support local priorities.
Preventing and relieving homelessness for refugees and former asylum seekers in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP), especially those arriving via Ukraine sponsorship, Afghan resettlement, and family reunification schemes.
Barnsley’s Family Hub network works across the borough to ensure families receive the right support in the right place at the right time. A central part of the Family Hubs offer is support for parents. The approach is rooted in the belief that stronger parent–child relationships lead to better outcomes for children, and that early support should be available in familiar, local settings, without judgement.
Historically, breastfeeding rates in Coventry have been below the national average. The infant feeding team wanted to harness the opportunity presented by the Family Hubs and Start for Life programme to increase engagement with their infant feeding services and encourage more mothers to breastfeed.
In Norfolk, the Parent-Infant Relationship service (PAIRS) and Perinatal Mental Health (PMH) service had a well-established offering before receiving Family Hubs and Start for Life programme funding.
Recognising that helping families across the whole of Cambridgeshire could lead to better outcomes, Cambridgeshire County Council and Peterborough City Council began working together on an Early Years Strategy in 2017, in partnership with colleagues across the children’s health system and communities.
We want every family to access the support they need to achieve the best start in life for their babies. For perinatal mental health and parent-infant relationship support, this means access to universal services to help spot and respond to issues before they develop into more complex problems.
Two years before receiving funding from the Family Hubs and Start for Life programme, the team in Islington completed a Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA) of the 0-5 population and their families. Following the introduction of the Family Hub model, an additional wider needs assessment of the 0-18 population (and 0-25 for special educational needs) was completed in line with Family Hub and Start for Life programme expectations. Together, this helped to identify key areas of focus for Islington’s Start for Life services.
Prior to the Family Hubs and Start for Life Programme, North Lincolnshire’s parent-infant relationship service model primarily targeted families with the most pressing needs, however there was limited support available for those with mild or moderate needs.