A recent event focused on improving neighbourhood health for children and young people brought together professionals from early years, health, and community sectors. The aim was to develop more connected, preventative support systems across neighbourhoods and Family Hubs.
The session highlighted the importance of collaborative working between Multi-Disciplinary Teams (MDTs) and neighbourhoods in order to reach the most vulnerable families, address inequalities, and reduce rising demand through integrated, community-based care.
Opportunities to strengthen neighbourhood health through social prescribing were a key focus. These included expanding the workforce, developing new models of ‘family prescribing’ for children under five, building connector skills among practitioners, and using technology to automate referrals and streamline support. There was also clear recognition of the need to identify and respond to gaps in local provision.
Breakout sessions provided space for attendees to explore practical challenges and solutions. Conversations centred on how to reach children and families who are currently not engaging with services, how to adapt social prescribing for young people within Integrated Neighbourhood Teams, and how to ensure that the language and approach used by professionals resonates with the families they aim to support.
Several key themes emerged. The term ‘social prescribing’ may not resonate with all families, and alternative language could be more effective. Disengaged groups may be consistently underserved across services, making it vital to better understand the silence. Those doing the connecting don’t need to have all the answers—what matters is that they are supported in fidning them. There was also a strong call for leadership to move beyond identifying gaps and take decisive action to address them.
Key takeaways from the event included the importance of holding joint meetings between Family Hubs and social prescribers to strengthen collaboration, improving the connection between primary care and Family Hubs, particularly through antenatal services, and creating space to enable peer support - “phone a friend”.
