Integrated workforce development: Ealing’s ‘Relationships Matter’ week

Background

As part of its Reducing Parental Conflict (RPC) work, Ealing Council has introduced a ‘Relationships Matter’ practice week. The week is designed to encourage practitioners across the council and its partner agencies to reflect on the importance of relationships throughout the life course.  

The practice week was established through a partnership between Anna Elliot, Supporting Families Coordinator and Eve Malick, Reducing Parental Conflict Lead. They recognised that practitioners across children’s services were finding it hard to have conversations with families about relationship difficulties, meaning some families were not accessing available support through RPC interventions. The initiative aims to foster an open dialogue about relationships and encourage families to access to services and interventions.  

Although Ealing did not receive funding from the Family Hubs and Start for Life programme, its approach to relationship building aligns with the programme’s focus on creating an integrated workforce.

What happens during Relationships Matter week?

Ealing Council has held Relationships Matter practice weeks in February 2023 and March 2024. The practice weeks emphasise relationships between practitioners and organisations within Ealing and the development of relationships with local families.  

The council workforce and partner agencies (such as health and early years services) are encouraged to get involved with Relationships Matter. There is a focus on how to engage with different individuals and a range of family relationships. This has included working with couples, ex-partners, parents and carers, children, colleagues and residents.

February 2023

During the first Relationships Matter week practitioners could access talks, webinars and workshops. Topics included understanding your teenagers and five steps to working with parents in conflict. The practice week received positive feedback from participants and organisers. In the run-up to the second Relationships Matter week several individuals asked if they could lead a session, demonstrating their enthusiasm for the initiative.

March 2024

Following the success of the first Relationships Matter week, Ealing Council held a second practice week in 2024, with a focus on improving wellbeing.  

Each day there were multiple sessions, with talks examining a broader range of relationships. Staff from Hanwell Zoo spoke about the importance of relationships with nature and Ealing’s Public Health Community Champions demonstrated how they were working to engage communities and connect with people more. Exploring less conventional relationships allowed practitioners to think creatively and understand the environments around them.  

While giving practitioners the chance to learn and reflect remained a focus, there was also an emphasis on reducing parental conflict. Tavistock Relationships delivered a webinar which reinforced the message about why relationships matter when it comes to reducing parental conflict.  

Follow-on materials, such as links to TED Talks, were shared with participants at the end of each talk. After the practice week, practitioners were able to access a booklet online which compiled all the resources. 

The sessions were well attended and received positive feedback from delegates.

What’s next for Relationships Matter?

As Relationships Matter week enters its third year, Ealing plans to expand its reach to include families and members of the community. Talks were held online in previous practice weeks, and organisers are considering delivering more in-person sessions.

The impact of Relationships Matter

The biggest impact of the practice week has been the relationships that have developed between different services in Ealing, and the relationships the council has built with the wider community. 

Training and development often occur in silo, limiting opportunities for teams and services to network and learn collaboratively. By organising a practice week that brings together various organisations within the children’s services system, Ealing Council has fostered integrated workforce development.  

Ealing has been in the discovery phase for family hubs, and the relationships strengthened through the practice weeks have fed into the development of a family hub model. The practice weeks have helped Ealing to establish shared language and values across its community.

What participants said about Relationships Matter?

“The range of sessions was brilliant and I would have liked to go to more. The biggest impact has been the quality of information and resources that are available from within the service.” 

“The variety of speakers – it was really rich. I really enjoyed the humour that the presenter brought to the ‘Navigating Work and Relationships in Midlife’ session.” 

“Thank you! Love this week and it’s so needed and valued.” 

“Fantastic session and keep the conversation going across projects/programmes or initiatives. Thank you.”

Lessons learned

Practice weeks require significant planning, but they offer a cost-effective way to raise awareness of key issues and priorities while enhancing professional practice.

Top tips for delivering practice weeks

Subscribe to our newsletter 

Family Hubs in Mind is our free newsletter, circulated monthly, and will share news from our members, latest events and resources.

The National Centre for Family Hubs is hosted by the Anna Freud Centre. This data is managed by the Anna Freud Centre through Mailchimp. Click to read the National Centre for Family Hub’s Privacy policy

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.