Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government what support they are offering to local authorities to help them partner with (1) voluntary, and (2) faith, organisations in the implementation of Family Hubs.

The department recognises the importance of both voluntary organisations and faith group partners to the family hub model. Both have a vital role in supporting families to improve the reach and impact of the family hub offer, particularly for those seldom heard parents and families. The department has set the expectation in its family hubs guidance that local authorities partner with voluntary and faith organisations as part of their family hub model. Family hubs bring together resources, expertise, and assets to provide an integrated offer to support families and respond to the needs of the community. The family hubs guidance is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/family-hubs-and-start-for-life-programme-local-authority-guide.

All local authorities who are part of the Family Hubs Start for Life programme have the support of a Regional Delivery Lead and a Regional Delivery Expert Advisor to work with them on the transformation of family support services to family hubs.

All local authorities have received funding to allow their family support services to transition to the family hub model. This could include the co-location of services for families in family hubs, making it easier for families to access services. Family hubs should also connect families to the relevant voluntary and faith sector support provided in their communities. In the developed family hub model, there should be a strategy to grow and support voluntary and faith sector organisations to work towards shared outcomes in the family hub network.

The department’s delivery partner, the National Centre for Family Hubs, is working with all local authorities across England, spreading best practice through conferences, events, online modules and case studies. The National Centre will publish a toolkit module, as well as offering coaching and/or one to one support on how to engage with and make high quality partnerships with voluntary and faith organisations. The department welcomes the continued participation and contribution of faith sector organisations to these channels.