Early Family Help Trailblazer Programme

Since 2021, Children’s Teams across GM have collaborated to understand how to create community-led models of Early Family Help (EFH). In 2023, the EFH Trailblazer programme was developed as a result of this collaboration, with four authorities, Salford, Stockport, Rochdale and Wigan, working on behalf of the ten to pay deep attention to understanding what it takes to create community-led preventative models of EFH in practice. 

This programme focussed on creating Early Family Help that is Everyone’s business, empowering families to thrive, enabled by community-led, connected systems on their doorstep. 

Each authority was supported through a series of coaching and peer-support spaces, to develop and identify their approach to community-led models. This has included: 

• Creating trusted family networks from the doorstep out incl. developing Family Hubs Networks and Bridges 
• Establishing collaboratives of EFH and Community organisations, creating shared visions and strategies, developing a shared workforce culture 
• Establishing co-governance with EFH and VCSFE leadership in Family Hubs  
• Building the role of non-statutory EFH partners and leaders to deliver help 

Working on behalf of the ten, these four trailblazers have been sharing & gathering learning via a quarterly GM wide EFH Community of Practice. The result of this programme is a suite of co-designed resources that outlines the case for change, blueprint and practice bright spots for delivering community-led, preventative EFH.