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.
Runnymede Borough Council have funded the delivery of interactive environmental workshops for Great Big Green Week using LEGO elements for primary and junior schools in the borough.
In response to Section 507B of the Education Act 1996, Barking and Dagenham developed a dynamic, co-owned Youth Offer shaped by young people and VCFS partners.
Nawaal’s journey through children’s services is defined by persistence, initiative, and a desire to make systems work better for those who rely on them most. As a care-experienced young person who built her path from volunteering to securing an official role, she has become a strong advocate for accessibility, inclusion, and meaningful engagement. Her work spans council-wide projects, national representation, and the creation of platforms designed to uplift other care leavers
Little Jungle was founded in 2011 and is a privately-owned school of early childhood, providing care and education for up to 85 children between the ages of 10 months to 5 years old. Their approach is ever evolving and inspired by many schools of thought; in particular, those of the childhood centres of Reggio Emillia in Italy, famous for their excellence in early years education. At Little Jungle, Education has a strong role to play in establishing values for a positive society.
Recognising that fragmented perinatal parent infant mental health support led to poorer outcomes, Sheffield City Council brought together Health, the Local Authority and other key partners to create a citywide Perinatal Mental Health, Infant Mental Health, and Parent Infant Relationship connected pathway of care. The model has enabled increased integration and collaboration across services improved early identification, prevention and equity of access for communities experiencing marginalisation.
BookTrust is the largest children’s reading charity in the UK, with a purpose to support children from low income or vulnerable families to read regularly and by choice so they can experience the transformative benefits of reading. BookTrust has partnership agreements with every local authority in England and has further developed local collaboration, integrating with 342 Family Hubs.
East Sussex early years’ service operates as an integrated model, supporting children and families from birth to 19 years. The Health Visiting Service delivers the 0-5 Healthy Child programme via a skill mix team. Some of the interventions which support families are delivered via an integrated model with support from Early Years Practitioners.
Thurrock was one of the 75 local authorities across England to be an early adopter of the UK government’s Family Hubs and Start for Life programme. Thurrock’s Council officially signed up to the programme in 2022. Developing the Home Learning Environment (HLE) was identified for delivery as evidence shows that the quality of parent-child interactions at home is a key predictor of a child’s early language ability and future success.
The Birmingham Local Area SEND inspection in 2018 highlighted the need to reduce waiting times for Speech and Language Therapist referrals. In response, Birmingham adopted the Balanced System Approach, focusing on family support, environment, workforce, identification, and intervention.