North Northamptonshire Council - Supportive Steps - Early Parenting and Child-Parent Relationship

Description

North Northamptonshire Council (NNC) will procure a 2 + 1 year Service to support early parenting and child-parent relationships. This service builds upon the two-year test-and-learn pilot, Supportive Steps, which Family Action has successfully delivered as part of the Family Hubs and Start for Life Programme.<br /><br />Initially commissioned in June 2023, the Pilot aimed to support parents with early parenting within the 1001 critical days, enhance parent-infant relationships, and provide early intervention for mild to moderate perinatal mental health challenges and parent-infant relationship difficulties.<br /><br />During the pilot phase, the service supported more than 150 families through targeted and universal interventions focusing on integrated, evidence-based <br />parenting programmes and peer support.<br /><br />The Service Recorded over 500 unique visits to weekly stay-and-play groups, which have been successful in encouraging families who would not usually <br />engage in support to seek help and move on to more formal interventions at Family Hubs in Wellingborough, Kettering and across East Northants and Corby <br />community networks.<br /><br />Given the success of this approach, we are now transitioning from a test-andlearn phase to a longer-term model. This next phase will embed key learnings <br />from the pilot and align with North Northamptonshire’s broader early intervention strategy, ensuring continuity of support while enhancing service <br />effectiveness.<br /><br />The Service will provide support through evidence-based parenting programmes, antenatal classes, targeted parent-infant interventions, and peer support.<br /><br />The Service will provide safe spaces for all families to come together in the community and access universal support for birth and beyond. It will also help <br />parents feel more confident in their transition to new parenthood and their ability to care for their children.<br /><br />.The Services effectiveness will be evaluated, and feedback from families who have accessed support will inform future service delivery. This will happen in <br />close collaboration with the appointed research and evaluation team.<br /><br />The Service will be commissioned as two Lots:<br />• Lot 1: Parenting Support<br />• Lot 2: Perinatal Mental Health and Child-Parent Relationship Support