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.
Two early years leads at Solihull Council, Jane Glassey (early years SEND lead) and Lisa Morris (Team Manager), share the innovative ways their council is approaching the provision of early years special education needs and disabilities (SEND) support. The council’s approach focuses heavily on collaboration with settings and partners to provide the most effective support to the children who need it. Below are some of the key areas they are focusing on to do this:
Hillingdon Council explored the development of family hubs to bring together a support network for children, young people and families. Hillingdon self-funded its family hubs as the location was not a government funded family hub area, yet the council recognised the value of service delivery in this way. By focusing on collaboration across sectors and a flexible, community-driven approach we were able to develop a model that meets diverse needs and maximises existing community resources.
In 2010, the youth services in Blackburn with Darwen (BwD) faced budget reductions following the Government’s austerity measures, which impacted the availability of suitable youth services for young people
Walsall Council and Walsall NHS Trust have a dedicated teenage pregnancy team, funded by Walsall Public Health, with more than twenty years’ experience of providing both support and prevention initiatives across the borough.
Following the publication of The Better Birth Maternity review in 2016, East Sussex Healthcare Trust established the Lighthouse Team. This decision was prompted by the high under-18 maternity rate in Hastings, which in 2017 was 68 per cent higher than the England average (Office for National Statistics, 2019).
Since 2022 the service has been commissioned by Public Health through Home-Start, an organization with a successful track record in supporting parents of all ages, with a dedicated Coordinator providing a key point of contact and working closely with other services.
WILD Young Parents is the largest UK voluntary sector young parent organisation supporting over 20,000 parents and children over the last 33 years. Based in Cornwall and part funded by Cornwall Council, WILD aims to give young parent families a fair start and to prevent repeated patterns of intergenerational trauma and adversity.
Funded by Hertfordshire County Council, Ohana is a free support group established in Hertfordshire in direct response to the voices of care experienced young parents, staffed by a blend of employed coordinators and volunteers.