Project team joins major family support conference

Project team members take part in major national Family Hubs Conference, celebrating successes and looking to the future for Family Hubs.

The Family Hubs Conference, held on 29 November 2024, saw prominent figures from across the sector lead a day of conversation and debate, centred around celebrating progress and looking to the future for family hubs and family support, and project team members Harriet Churchill and Jonathan Herbert were there to join the conversation. On the back of the new government’s budget announcement confirming £69 million for family hubs, an optimistic and determined tone was set throughout the day by Catherine Barker as the Conference Chair (Policy and Public Affairs Adviser at Spurgeons, one of event’s lead sponsors) and by leading founders and figures for the Family Hubs Network including Dr Samantha Callan and Lord Michael Farmer. 

Prominent figures in policy and provision contributed to the debate, including Janet Daby MP (Minister for Children & Families), Josh MacAlister OBE MP (Author of the 2022 Independent Review of Children’s Social Care, Dr Samantha Callan OBE (Co-founder and Director of Family Hubs Network), Ian Soars (CEO Spurgeons), Emma Bowman (Barnardos), Zoe Oddy (Essex Child & Family Wellbeing Service) and Dr Sarah Cattan (Nesta), and leading representatives from charities and service provision. Alongside examples of impactful and innovative provision and services, cross-cutting themes and priorities from the day included the urgent need for long-term more secure funding, improved cross-departmental and multi-level government collaboration, greater recognition and support for voluntary and community sectors, and the role of faith groups, and further developments in provision for disadvantaged and underrepresented groups.

Echoing with our study aims, varied and fast-paced developments in digital platforms and services was likewise a prominent conference theme with vibrant debates about ‘the role of the digital’ in enhancing in-person provision, improving service effectiveness and efficiencies, and overcoming challenges in reaching under-represented groups. Harriet chaired the morning and afternoon breakout session dedicated to this area and ‘the different roles for digital transformations and innovations in Family Hubs’. These sessions featured presentations led by Andy Hindhaugh (Family Hubs Programme and Early Help Transformation Lead, Halton Borough Council) and Clare Higgins (Data Lead, Family Hubs, Walsall Council); and information from Sam Kelly (DfE) about the Family Hubs Connect pilots trailing new digital service directories to enable families and practitioners to better access local support and services. The session gave insights into and discussion on the co-production of wide-ranging integrated services digital platforms and the ‘digital front door’ for local Family Hubs and integrated child and family services, the use of AI and automation to support digital provision and better meet the information needs of parents and families, how digital tools can support and complement in-person services, and the value and challenges of harnessing ‘big data’ to understand and improve needs and services for families, children and young people. 

The day provided discerning insights and discussion about the innovation and challenges driving the diversity of Family Hubs and family support developments and networks they encompass and contribute to. Many contributed to the rallying call to prioritise family support and children’s rights in the UK. The event provided us with key insights valuable to reflect on as we progress with our study about the role of digital provision and resources for parents.