Research in Action
Tower Hamlets – Place based approach to improve family support through evaluations
Tower Hamlets Public Health has taken a new approach to reviewing local services by adopting a place-based, integrated approach to social research that places residents’ voices at the centre.
To better understand how well local services are supporting families, Tower Hamlets commissioned a team of researchers from the University of East London (UEL) to conduct a series of in-depth evaluations. The goal: to identify what’s working, what needs improvement, and how services can evolve to better meet the needs of parents, children, and young people across the borough.
The research, led by experts from UEL’s Institute for Connected Communities (ICC), has already begun to inform future service design and funding decisions.
Innovative approach to evaluation
The first of the three evaluations focused on the Tower Hamlets 0–5 Specialist Community Public Health Nursing Service. Supported by Tracey Lemay from UEL’s Department of Allied and Public Health, the evaluation helped shape a new service specification and played a key role in the re-commissioning process. The findings were positively received by local commissioners.
Building on that success, the second evaluation examined the Tower Hamlets Healthy Lives Service, which supports the Healthy Schools programme. This initiative aims to boost health and wellbeing outcomes and health literacy among primary school children in the borough.
The third and ongoing project is evaluating the Family Hubs Perinatal Mental Health and Parent-Infant Relationship pathway. This programme underlines the critical importance of the early years — the first 1001 days of a child’s life - in shaping long-term family wellbeing and public health. The initiative forms part of the national Start for Life offer.
Resident voices at the heart of decisions
What sets these evaluations apart is their deeply participatory and place-based approach. Rather than relying solely on top-down metrics, the research places the experiences and insights of residents at the heart of the findings - ensuring that future service design truly reflects community needs.
The Research Team
The evaluations were conducted by a multidisciplinary team of researchers:
Dr Darren Sharpe (ICC), Dr Andrew Barnfield (UEL Public Health, ICC Associate), Nora Morocza (ICC), Dr Ollie Keenan (ICC), Liliana Galicia Mesa (ICC), Emmanuela Osei-Asemani (ICC), and Maria Carbajales (ICC).
The Tower Hamlets Communities Keeping Well Programme is putting the power of health and wellbeing into the hands of residents. Focused on tackling long-term health conditions across eight communities in the borough, this innovative co-production initiative is making meaningful impact.
In its first round of funding, the programme invited residents to submit their own project ideas and vote on the activities they wanted to see locally. The response has been inspiring - with projects now running across Tower Hamlets covering everything from healthy eating workshops and youth clubs to arts and crafts, SEND support, and more.
A community-led vision for health
What sets this programme apart is its commitment to community leadership. Residents aren't just participants - they're decision-makers, designers, and drivers of local health improvements.
Evaluation led by University of East London
To understand the impact of this approach, the University of East London (UEL) has been commissioned to lead the programme’s evaluation. The team includes:
- Dr Darren Sharpe – Institute for Connected Communities (ICC)
- Dr Elizabeth Walters – UEL Public Health, ICC Associate
- Dr Paul Watts – UEL Public Health
- Dr Ollie Keenan – ICC
- Nora Morocza – ICC
So far, the evaluation team has collected baseline data from the first wave of funded projects and conducted interviews with the programme’s commissioning team. In a particularly exciting development, 12 resident researchers have now been onboarded to support the evaluation - helping to ensure the research reflects the lived experiences and priorities of the communities involved.
What’s next?
The evaluation is ongoing, with more updates to follow in the coming months as the projects continue to evolve and grow. The combination of community innovation and academic support makes this a programme to watch - not just in Tower Hamlets, but as a model for health equity nationwide.