Integrated Leadership Development Programme – London Borough of Croydon Family Hubs
As Croydon rolled out its Family Hub model, leaders recognised that delivering true integrated working required more than organisational change.
Managers and partners needed:
- Confidence to lead beyond their own service
- Stronger cross-agency relationships
- A shared understanding of the Family Hub system
- Practical skills to influence change and challenge barriers
Croydon commissioned a structured leadership development programme to build system leadership capacity across the partnership.
What We Delivered
We designed and delivered a 10-day Integrated Leadership Development Programme for managers and leaders working across the Family Hub partnership.
Delivered over several months, the programme combined:
- Leadership theory and practical tools
- Structured reflective learning
- Peer co-consulting on real work challenges
- System leadership development
- Partnership and stakeholder mapping
- Action planning linked directly to Family Hub delivery
Sessions explored topics including:
- Integrated and system leadership
- Emotional intelligence and leadership behaviours
- Managing change across complex systems
- Influencing, negotiation and stakeholder relationships
- Using data, accountability and quality assurance
- Building trust across multi-agency teams
The programme supported both individual leadership growth and collective system development.
The Impact
The programme delivered significant cultural and leadership outcomes across the Family Hub workforce.
1. Staff recognised they are part of the Family Hub system
One of the strongest shifts was a growing realisation among participants that:
Family Hubs are not a separate team — they are a shared system.
Leaders developed a clearer understanding of how their service contributes to the wider Family Hub offer and outcomes for families.
2. Stronger relationships and trust across services
The programme created rare protected time for leaders from different organisations to work together, reflect and problem-solve.
This resulted in:
- Stronger professional relationships
- Better understanding of partner roles
- Increased trust across agencies
- More collaborative problem solving
Participants consistently highlighted the value of connecting with colleagues from other services and learning from different professional perspectives.
3. Increased confidence to challenge the system
A key outcome was the growth in leadership confidence.
Participants reported feeling more able to:
- Challenge silo working
- Question ineffective processes
- Raise system barriers
- Influence decisions beyond their service
Leaders left with greater clarity about what they can control, influence and change.
4. Practical leadership tools applied to real challenges
Through structured peer consultation and real-world leadership exercises, participants worked directly on live Family Hub delivery issues.
This ensured learning translated into:
- Clear action planning
- Improved decision-making
- Stronger cross-agency coordination
- Greater leadership accountability
Why This Matters
Family Hub transformation depends on confident leaders who:
- Think beyond organisational boundaries
- Build strong partnerships
- Challenge barriers constructively
- Take shared responsibility for outcomes
This programme helped Croydon develop exactly this leadership culture.