We’re trying to increase collaboration between professionals and their community, and increase the amount of early help that’s available for families and residents.  So the emphasis is absolutely on the existing brilliant joint working, volunteering, community resource such as hubs and groups, and hundreds of wonderful services that help residents earlier – and celebrating these things.

We’re working hard to make more of this collaboration and early help possible.  For example, removing geographical and IT barriers that stop us working together, connecting up the community and public services, supporting universal services such as schools, and helping professionals and residents to know what’s in their neighbourhood that can help.  You can see some of this on our website at https://connectsomerset.org.uk.

Whilst the financial situation is difficult, we’re lucky in Somerset to have fantastic resources available to local families and residents, including 100 Warm Welcome hubs, 18 Local Community Networks and 2760 registered charities with 10,300 volunteers. Through the programme communications we want to celebrate all the great joint work that has gone on for decades in Somerset, learn from that, spread and do more of it.  And we’re keen if you have any examples to champion those too – get in touch at hello@connectsomerset.org.uk.