In June 2025, Dudley Council launched a new spoke within its Family Hub Network at Halesowen Leisure Centre, marking a significant step in expanding access to integrated support for families.
Overview
In June 2025, Dudley Council launched a new spoke within its Family Hub Network at Halesowen Leisure Centre, marking a significant step in expanding access to integrated support for families. This practical co-location model brings integrated services with a prevention and very early intervention focus together with Start for Life services into a familiar, community-based setting, reducing barriers to engagement and increasing visibility of support.
Dudley Council’s Public Health team played a central role in the design and development of the Halesowen Spoke, ensuring a strong focus on the connectivity between Start for Life and leisure services. Rachael Holt, from Public Health, was pivotal in this process; her background in leisure services was particularly supportive in shaping a model that promotes lifelong engagement with community-based wellbeing activities.
Background and context
Dudley’s Family Hub and Start for Life programme has transformed its family centre infrastructure into a borough-wide network of five main hubs and multiple spokes. The Halesowen Spoke was developed in response to local need, particularly for families who found it difficult to travel to the nearest full hub in Lye.
The hub and spoke model aligns with Dudley’s Early Help Strategy 2025–2027, which emphasises relational practice, place-based delivery, and early intervention.The leisure centre was selected due to its central location, high footfall, and existing community trust. Refurbishment works completed in early 2025 created a dedicated community room with an examination space and drop-in area, enabling the delivery of health and family support services in a non-clinical, welcoming environment.
Co-location and integrated services
The Halesowen Spoke is located within a modern leisure facility offering swimming pools, a gym, soft play, and meeting rooms. This setting allows services to be delivered in a space that families already use and feel comfortable in. The hub makes use of existing infrastructure to offer:
- Midwifery and health visiting services
- Infant feeding support and peer-led Milk Mates groups
- HENRY parenting and nutrition courses
- Perinatal mental health support
- Stay 'n' Play and Brilliant Babies sessions
- Menopause cafés and wellbeing workshops
- Space for social workers to meet young people after hours
The site includes a small kitchen, which supports food-based sessions and informal gatherings. The leisure centre’s extended opening hours and accessible facilities allow for flexible service delivery and multi-agency working.
Weekly sessions delivered within the spoke are free and drop-in, encouraging informal engagement and creating opportunities for professionals to connect with families in a relaxed setting. The hub also hosts regular workshops and support groups, including sessions on infant feeding, menopause, and parenting.
Impact since opening
Although the spoke has only been operational since June 2025, early feedback indicates strong community interest and uptake. The launch event attracted dozens of families, and regular sessions have seen consistent attendance. Practitioners report that the leisure centre setting reduces stigma and encourages participation from families who might not otherwise engage with formal services.
Being based in a leisure centre has brought several distinct benefits. As a well-used and trusted community venue, it offers a familiar and non-threatening environment for families to access support. The informal setting helps reduce stigma often associated with seeking help, and the presence of other leisure activities, such as swimming, soft play, and fitness classes, encourages incidental engagement.
Families may come for recreation and discover services organically, increasing reach and visibility. The co-location also supports a whole-family approach to wellbeing, with opportunities for parents and children to engage in parallel activities.
Councillor Wayne Little, Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, commented:
“The Halesowen Spoke is essentially an outreach facility from our nearest family hub, based in neighbouring Lye.
“We know it’s difficult for some families to travel and we hope this will give people who live in Halesowen easier access to services offered across the family hub network such as midwifery and health visiting.
The spoke has also enabled:
- More joined-up working between health, social care and community partners
- Greater visibility of Start for Life services
- Opportunities for peer support and informal networking among parents
Learning and next steps
The Halesowen model shows how leisure centres can be used as community anchors for family support. Key learning so far has been that extended opening hours and multi-use spaces support a wider range of services, whilst co-location can lead to more joined-up working between partners.
Plans are for feedback to be gathered from families accessing services at the leisure centre and share this feedback with Dudley Family Voices to support next steps in developing services.
The Halesowen Spoke offers a practical model for other councils looking to embed family support within community infrastructure.
Dudley is currently exploring how connections with schools can be enhanced to support families who may be unable to access family hubs across the borough.
Contact details
For more information, please contact Teresa McNally ([email protected] ) or Rachael Holt ([email protected]).