Agenda item

For the Sub-Committee to receive a presentation providing an update on the Family Hubs Transformation Programme.

The Sub-Committee received a presentation providing an update on Croydon’s Family Hub transformation programme. The Director of Education, Family Hub Transformation Lead, and Team Manager (Education) introduced the item and went through the presentation at Appendix A, including a video, and feedback from a member of the Parent Carer Panel.

The Sub-Committee asked how feedback from service users was being collected and used to drive improvements in the implementation of the Family Hubs. The Family Hub Transformation Lead highlighted that the Council was still on a ‘transformation journey’ for Family Hubs, but explained that currently anecdotal feedback and DfE returns were being used. Members heard that an evaluation framework was being developed, and that this would sit beside an outcomes framework, to create a formal mechanism to collate and enact changes as a result of feedback. The Service Manager for Children's Centres, Parenting and Parenting Relationships added that feedback had been gathered from service users and that service specifications were being scrutinised at the Parent Carer Panel to ensure that the voice of parents and carers were heard.

The Cabinet Member for Children & Young People explained they had attended the launch of the first Family Hub and had been impressed by the wide range of partners as well as the large number of parents and children. The Cabinet Member praised the work being done on Family Hubs and encouraged Sub-Committee Members to visit the Woodland’s Children Centre Hub.

Members asked how Family Hubs were being publicised, noting low social media followers for Facebook and Instagram Family Hubs accounts. The Family Hub Transformation Lead responded that social media was being used, alongside leaflets in public buildings, a newsletter and promotion through Council partners. It was acknowledged that there was more to do in this area and it was stated that funding would be used to bring on board someone to develop a Family Hubs communication strategy. The Service Manager for Children's Centres, Parenting and Parenting Relationships highlighted that Woodlands was an existing Children’s Centre and that the programme would look to build on the existing services and reputation of the Centre to promote the Family Hub. In response to questions from the Sub-Committee on attendance numbers at Family Hubs, Members heard that this could be provided outside of the meeting if requested.

The Director of Education explained that there was a Family Hubs Oversight Group, including Health, the Community and Voluntary Sector (VCS) and other partners, which shared the responsibility of promoting Hubs. The Sub-Committee asked whether Health Visitors were promoting Family Hubs, and heard that this would be the case and would be further developed to ensure anyone delivering services to families would be aware of, and promoting, Family Hubs.

The Vice-Chair noted the end of DfE funding in March 2025 and asked how confident officers were that the three Hubs would be established in this time, and whether any funding would be available after March 2025. The Director of Education explained that it was the aim to open two further Hubs, and that the available transformation funding was only a small amount of capital. The Sub-Committee heard that the programme was looking to build on what already existed rather than develop something completely new, by integrating and co-locating services. Members heard that Health buildings would also be considered as locations for the two remaining Family Hubs, looking to utilise all the resources of all partners, and that a digital offer also needed to be considered.

Members asked how sustainable Family Hubs were past March 2025 and the Director of Education explained that some Public Health funding was available and that the Council was doing some initial work around utilising existing budgets to create Family Hub and ‘Start for Life’ funding models. It was highlighted that it was not yet known if the DfE may provide additional funding.

The Vice-Chair asked how older children had benefited from Family Hubs, and heard that a VCS organisation had organised meet ups for families with children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), and that children leaving care training had taken place at the Woodlands Children’s Centre. It was explained that these events had been developed through informal conversations at the Family Hub, and that this needed to be better developed. It was acknowledged that the current Hub was mostly focused on Early Years and that more work needed to take place to ensure those in the Family Hub were able to signpost to external youth provisions.

The Family Hub Transformation Lead explained that ‘Start for Life’ was directed at children aged 0-2 and that a directory, guide and virtual offer were all being developed to provide access to as many parents as possible. The Start for Life Strategic Delivery Lead highlighted the importance of a digital offer for families ensure that they could access resources at their point of need. The Sub-Committee asked if parents could drop-in to Family Hubs, and heard that this was possible and that a timetable was also available.

Members asked how the video shown in the presentation would be used to promote Family Hubs and how they would be linked to schools. The Director of Education explained that the video would be used to promote the Hubs through social media to parents of younger children, but acknowledged that different content would might be needed to attract parents of older children. It was explained that Woodlands Children’s Centre was on the site of a special school and primary school, and was close to a secondary school; Members heard that engagement with these schools was already taking place. It was explained that the objective was to have Hubs in three localities (North, Central and South of the borough) and that expanding the range of available services to appeal to a broader age range would lead to more opportunities to link with, and engage with, schools. It was highlighted that Family Hubs were still in a transformation process, but that conversations with head teachers, and through the Education Partnership, would take place in future. The Director of Education highlighted that it was important that the focus was on engagement with the Council’s wider partnerships, and not only schools.

The Sub-Committee asked who was contributing funding to the Family Hubs programme, other than the Council and DfE. The Director of Education explained that existing funding and budgets were used to deliver services in Family Hubs and that the work that needed to take place was around developing stronger infrastructure for the Hubs and developing the ‘Start for Life’ offer.

Members asked if families attending the Woodlands Children’s Centre were local or if they travelled from other parts of the borough, and how a youth centred Family Hub would differ from youth centres like the Legacy Youth Zone. The Director of Education explained that a youth focussed Hub would focus on Early Help, sexual health services and other kinds of support, over a youth centre which focussed on activities for school aged children. The Service Manager for Children's Centres, Parenting and Parenting Relationships responded that attendees at the Woodlands Children’s Centre Hub were predominantly local.

Conclusions

The Sub-Committee concluded that it would like to add a future report on Family Hubs to its Work Programme, following a visit to the Woodlands Children’s Centre.