Children and Families Newcastle to reimagine services

Newcastle City Council has announced a new way of working to provide more community based, accessible and joined-up support and services for children, young people and their families.

The redesigned, fully-integrated approach will build on the strength of Newcastle’s partnerships and be part of the Collaborative Newcastle work, bringing the council, NHS and voluntary and community sector together to provide services that support children and their families now and in the longer term.  

Developments under the Children and Families Newcastle banner include: the creation of vibrant Community Hubs across the city; a new team of Family Partners; and greater integration of services – bringing together the partners under the Collaborative Newcastle banner to shape services and combine resources effectively.

The vibrant hubs will provide friendly, safe spaces and services for all families. The Hubs span NHS, Local Authority and voluntary and community sector services, link in with schools, primary care and neighbourhood policing and be firmly rooted in local communities. They will also provide space for health services and community groups, embedded in the communities they support, alongside activities and opportunities for young people and families.  

The new team of Family Partners will create over 30 new roles across Newcastle. This newly developed role will support children, young people and their families to explore what support is available to them, navigate the services on offer and empowering them to make positive changes to their lives. Family Partners will work closely with families, creating strong, lasting and trusting relationships and bonds.

Judith Hay, Newcastle City Council’s Director of Children, Education and Skills said: “Newcastle is a child friendly city, all organisations in the city share this vision and the new Children and Families Newcastle service will allow us to give every child the best start in life. This new, innovative way of providing services will create opportunities for young people to learn and develop, socialise with peers, embrace culture and events and be part of their communities.

“The pandemic has impacted every corner of our city and especially our young people. They have lost valuable hours in school and had their learning impacted, missed out on valuable opportunities to interact with friends and opportunities that help shape their personalities and ambitions.

“We know how important it is that we support our families, in Newcastle 31.8 per cent of pupils are eligible for Free School Meals, higher than the national average. The Children and Families Newcastle once again shows the strength of our cities partnerships and is a clear indication that our city will continue to work together – as it has done in the last 18 months – as we recover from the pandemic.”