In this blog, CiNI’s Chief Executive, Natalie Whelehan, reflects on the inaugural meeting of the new All-Party Group (APG) on Children and Young People, where MLAs and Members heard directly from senior Department of Health officials about Together for Families, an ambitious programme of investment and reform to strengthen family support across Northern Ireland.

There are moments in public policy when the conversation shifts from whether change is needed to how change will happen. The inaugural meeting of the APG on Children and Young People marked one of those moments. 

Bringing together MLAs, children’s organisations, family support providers, senior Department of Health officials and representatives from The National Lottery Community Fund, the discussion focused on Together for Families, the NI Executive’s flagship programme to transform family support and children’s social care through earlier intervention, stronger collaboration and better outcomes for children, young people and families. 

For organisations across the children’s sector, this was more than a policy presentation. It was an invitation to help shape implementation. 

For many years, the children’s sector has argued that Northern Ireland spends too much time responding to crises and not enough preventing them. Together for Families seeks to change that by strengthening universal and targeted family support, enhancing Family Support Hubs, developing multidisciplinary Family Support Teams, improving access to intensive family support and ensuring families receive help earlier. 

This reflects the reality that families rarely experience challenges in isolation. Financial hardship, poor mental health, disability, domestic abuse, housing insecurity and educational difficulties are often interconnected. Effective support therefore depends on coordinated systems rather than isolated services. The programme’s emphasis on integration, collaboration and prevention is therefore particularly welcome.

The announcement of approximately £59 million from the Public Sector Transformation Fund and The National Lottery Community Fund has understandably attracted attention. However, throughout the meeting there was a clear message that this programme is about much more than additional funding. Its ambition is to transform how services are designed, commissioned, delivered and evaluated. 

Representatives from The National Lottery Community Fund highlighted the importance of genuine partnership between government and the voluntary and community sector, alongside building a robust evidence base so that successful approaches can be sustained beyond the life of the programme. Embedding evaluation from the outset offers an important opportunity to ensure future investment is informed by evidence of what works.

Perhaps the strongest message emerging from the discussion was the recognition that meaningful reform must be delivered in partnership with the voluntary and community sector. 

Children’s organisations already provide substantial family support across Northern Ireland through Sure Start, Family Support Hubs, disability services, youth work, parenting programmes, counselling, advocacy and community development. They bring decades of experience, trusted relationships, deep local knowledge and practical expertise. The ambition is not to replace existing services but to build on what already works, reduce fragmentation and strengthen collaboration across the system. 

As with any major reform programme, however, success will ultimately depend on implementation. Members raised important questions about how existing services will fit within the new arrangements, the future role of Family Support Hubs, workforce capacity, commissioning, governance and maintaining regional consistency while responding to local need. These are not simply operational issues, but rather will determine whether the programme achieves lasting change. 

Encouragingly, Departmental officials acknowledged these challenges and committed to phased implementation, continued consultation and ongoing engagement with the sector. There was clear recognition that organisations need timely information and meaningful opportunities to contribute if they are to prepare for and support this transformation. 

One of the most positive aspects of the meeting was the commitment to continued dialogue. Officials recognised that the expertise held within the voluntary and community sector should help shape the design, delivery and evaluation of services. 

The coming months will therefore be critical as regional frameworks, governance arrangements, commissioning processes and enhanced services begin to take shape. While the strategic direction is becoming clearer, many of the decisions that will determine how reform is experienced by children and families remain open to influence. 

As Secretariat to the All-Party Group on Children and Young People, CiNI welcomes the open and constructive discussion that took place during the APG’s first meeting. We will continue to ensure that the knowledge, experience and evidence held across our membership informs policy development and implementation as Together for Families progresses. 

There is much to welcome within this programme. Its focus on prevention, partnership and earlier intervention reflects principles that the children’s sector has championed for many years. Realising that ambition will require sustained collaboration between government, statutory agencies and the voluntary and community sector. 

If implementation is matched by the same ambition as the vision, Together for Families has the potential to reshape how Northern Ireland supports children, young people and families for many years to come. 

The All Party Group provides a forum to enable cross party discussion and co-operation on issues affecting children and young people. Find out more.  

Visit the Department of Health website to find out more about Together for Families.