Overview
We at Mapping for Change are proud to be supporting the introduction of Family Hubs in Leicester through a community needs assessment. Family Hubs are a new model for delivering integrated health and social care services for families, providing support from pregnancy through to young adulthood. They focus particularly on the early years (conception to age 2) and aim to simplify access to services, reduce fragmentation, and improve outcomes for children and families.
What Are Family Hubs?
Family Hubs are centralised points—both physical and digital—where families can access a range of services including early years support, parenting programmes, mental health services, employment advice, and more. This whole-family approach enables better coordination across agencies and organisations, aiming to support the physical, intellectual, emotional and social wellbeing of families.
Our Role
We have been commissioned to lead the needs assessment that will inform how Family Hubs are shaped in Leicester. Our work focuses on:
Community consultation: Engaging diverse communities and stakeholders to capture lived experiences and local priorities.
Service mapping: Identifying existing health and care services and how they are accessed across the city.
Gap analysis: Highlighting areas where provision is lacking or inaccessible.
Equity and inclusion: Ensuring marginalised voices are heard and that future Hubs are culturally appropriate and inclusive.
Approach
We are working with grassroots organisations including Team Hub, Women 4 Change, and the Zinthiya Trust to reach underrepresented groups. Our consultation process includes surveys, interviews, workshops and pop-up events, as well as participatory mapping using our Community Maps platform.
We are also engaging with frontline service providers to understand systemic challenges, existing strengths, and opportunities for better integration.
Data-Driven Insights
Our approach blends qualitative insights with spatial and statistical data to build a complete picture of Leicester's family support ecosystem. Key outputs will include:
A public-facing interactive map of services and assets
Thematic analysis of community needs and aspirations
Actionable recommendations to inform Family Hub development
Impact
The findings will directly shape the design and delivery of Family Hubs in Leicester. This includes identifying optimal locations, delivery models (in-person, digital, hybrid), and the kinds of support that families most want and need. Our work will also help foster a culture of co-design, accountability and shared ownership across statutory services and communities.
Get Involved
We welcome participation from families, carers, professionals and community groups. To learn more or take part, contact us at