Case Study: Family Hub Community Offer in partnership with McDonald's
Framing the Event Within the Child Friendly Cov Pledges:
The Child Friendly Cov initiative is built on a series of pledges that aim to ensure all children and young people in Coventry feel safe, valued, healthy, loved, and have opportunities to thrive.
The recent Family Hub Community “pop up sessions” hosted by 2 of Coventry’s McDonald’s restaurants at Alvis Retail Park and West Orchards were an excellent demonstration of these pledges in action. The partnership was forged at a Child Friendly Cov networking event, showcasing how organisations are coming together to make Coventry a better place for children and families.
Event Overview
Practitioners from the Family Hub service and McDonald's hosted community events at Alvis Retail Park and West Orchards, aiming to engage families, promote the Family Hubs' digital portal, and provide fun, interactive activities. McDonald's staff assisted with logistics, and Family Hub staff offered guidance and support and chatted to children and their Across four days, 522 parents and children participated and learnt about the Family hub offer across the city.
Purpose of the Event:
The primary aim of these events was to strengthen community connections and promote the Family Hub universal offer, particularly through its digital portal www.coventryfamilies.co.uk
By creating a welcoming and engaging environment, the events provided families with access to important resources while fostering a sense of togetherness. The initiative aligned with the Child Friendly Cov pledges:
Be and Feel Safe: The events took place in well-known, accessible public spaces where families could gather comfortably. Children were engaged in safe, supervised activities while their families learned about local services and support networks.
Have Opportunities: By promoting the Family Hub digital portal and signposting families to local activities, the event ensured children and young people were aware of opportunities available to them in Coventry.
Be and Feel Healthy: The events encouraged social well-being and family bonding through creative activities, contributing to mental and emotional well-being.
Be and Feel Valued: Families had the opportunity to share their thoughts and engage directly with Family Hub representatives, reinforcing that their voices matter and their needs are being recognised.
Be and Feel Loved: The activities provided a warm, inclusive environment where children and families could connect, play, and feel a sense of belonging.
Activities
The events featured a variety of engaging activities designed to encourage creativity and interaction. Children enjoyed designing their own tote bags with fabric pens, selecting and applying fun, colourful transferable tattoos, and creating personalised key rings using different materials. A dedicated colouring area provided a relaxing space for children to express themselves artistically while parents learned more about Family Hub services.
Event Outcomes & Impact
A total of 522 people attended with parents expressing strong interest in the Family Hub resources and future events. The events advanced the Child Friendly Cov pledges by providing child-friendly spaces where families could connect with services, raising awareness of Family Hubs' activities and resources, encouraging social engagement and well-being, giving families direct access to support networks, and creating inclusive, welcoming environments for all.
Key Learnings & Next Steps
The partnership strengthened outreach efforts, increasing engagement with the Family Hub digital portal. Moving forward, the focus will be on expanding the offer to other MacDonalds sites, and potentially other local businesses, adjusting event timings based on attendance trends, and enhancing communication and promotional efforts to reach more families effectively.
Conclusion:
The Family Hub & McDonald's community events were a resounding success in advancing Coventry’s Child Friendly Cov pledges and promoting the Family Hub offer. By creating a safe, inclusive, and engaging environment, the events provided valuable opportunities for children and families to connect with local services while enjoying creative and fun-filled activities. This initiative demonstrates how partnerships between community organisations and businesses can make Coventry a truly child-friendly city, ensuring all children feel safe, valued, healthy, and loved while having access to opportunities that support them and their whole family.
