NSPCC: It takes a place: multi-agency safeguarding in Family Hubs
Family Hubs present one of the most promising avenues for strengthening early identification and safeguarding. When delivered well, they create spaces where families can build trusting relationships with practitioners, where professionals can work side by side, and where information can flow more effectively between services. Yet the picture across the country remains varied. Differences in local models and practice mean families do not always experience the same level of integrated support, and staff do not always have access to the same clarity of pathways or expectations.
The NSPCC have today published this research report which examines safeguarding practices within place-based family support settings, such as Family Hubs, asking how multi-agency working can operate most effectively to keep children safe. With a focus on early years, and whether existing services are providing effective support for children under 5, the research collates learning from these settings to inform the national rollout of Best Start Family Hubs.
The research includes:
- a rapid evidence review of existing literature
- nine semi-structured qualitative interviews and three focus groups with practitioners working at different levels of responsibility in regions across England
- an analysis of 15 case reviews published between 2018 and 2025 involving place-based family support settings such as Family Hubs
- polling 2,084 parents of children aged 0 to 5 living in England.
