Key Partnerships

Let’s Grow Together is one of 12 ABC Programmes across Ireland, within Tusla PPFS. All ABC Programmes follow a strengths-based approach, harnessing the strengths and capabilities of families and their communities. Prevention and early intervention approaches are used throughout the ABC Programmes, and are essential to ending the intergenerational cycle of poverty and disadvantage.

ABC Programmes collectively provide a large variety of evidence-based children and family programmes, parenting courses and supports, practitioner training and capacity building, and support processes for systems change at local and national levels.

The ABC Programmes have developed a collective Outcomes Framework, which aims to monitor and evaluate the scope, outputs, and outcomes of the Programmes. Indicators and outcome measures are being standardised across the ABC Programmes, to better evaluate programmes and the value we provide to families and communities. Data collection for the Outcomes Framework began in late 2023. Initial data analysis from the first year of data collection showed that: overall the ABC Programmes are reaching the key target groups, including children from low-income households, children from one-parent households, and parents and caregivers of non-Irish nationality; improvements in outcomes measured across programmes can bring children close to or above national norms or other comparative data. As further data is collected within the Outcomes Framework over multiple years more detailed insights and conclusions will be possible.

ABC Programmes know that:

• It is essential to support young children, parents/caregivers, and their families from pregnancy or as early as possible
• Brain development in the first five years, including pregnancy, occurs at a rate never seen again during development
• Children don’t grow up in isolation but in relationships with their parents/caregivers, families, and communities
• Early relationships matter and the quality, consistency, and responsiveness of these relationships support a child’s mental health both now and in the future
• Supporting the capacity of parents/caregivers, families, and the caregiving environments of early childhood can lay the foundations for all development as children and families realise their full potential
• Young children’s emotional well-being is closely tied to the mental health of their parents and caregivers
• Reducing stress in children’s lives and environments has a significant positive impact on their brain development and future outcomes

Let’s Grow Together works in partnership with many others at national level to promote intersectoral capacity building and service delivery of IECMH. Partners include national Tusla PPFS Office, national HSE Healthy Ireland Programme, ABC Programme, and multiple interest groups. Let’s Grow Together also contributed to the national framework development for IECMH Professional Development. This national policy and advocacy work enables Let’s Grow Together to reach more families and influence policy change.

The multidisciplinary paediatric clinic Kidscope operates in partnership with HSE, UCC, Let’s Grow Together, NICHE, and Tusla Springboard. Tomar Trust and HSE committed 3 years of financial support, for 2024-26, for coordinator and operations support. This funding supports the running, sustainability, and growth of the Clinic. The Clinic Administrative Coordinator is housed within the Let’s Grow Together team.

In 2021 Let’s Grow Together made a successful bid to the HSE to be the provider of the Parents Plus Programmes in Community Healthcare Networks 8 and 9, under the Sláintecare Healthy Communities Programme. Multiple Programmes and Workshops have run each year since, and the Parents Plus Programme has become an integral part of the overall service offering. The team works closely with community partners and the Health Communities Coordinator on the delivery of the programme, to maximise the reach and impact of the programmes and workshops.

Let’s Grow Together has an important and long-lasting relationship with Cork City Council, working together to deliver numerous services within the community. These include collaboration on the City Northwest Quarter Regeneration Plan and the Social, Environmental and Economic Plan. There are ongoing partnerships with Council staff within Community Initiatives, offering programmes and events for community members. Let’s Grow Together also offers a mechanism for Cork City Council to engage with families, to hear directly from children and families. This partnership helps provide and develop opportunities that will have long-term positive impact in the area.

Established in November 2020, the Home Visiting Alliance is a collaboration of five evidence-based early childhood home visiting programmes across Ireland. Let’s Grow Together is a member of the Executive Committee, leading the strategic development and overseeing the implementation of activities. The Alliance focuses on sharing learnings and building on each other’s experiences to enhance early childhood home visiting.

Let’s Grow Together developed a partnership with The WellSchools Network in 2024, following a review of the Schools Community Strategy. The WellSchools Network provides trauma-informed training and onsite coaching to schools, that supports student well-being and collective teacher efficacy in facilitating student learning. This partnership delivers on the aim to support children’s social and emotional wellbeing in the school environment, through capacity building and mentoring of school staff.

Let’s Grow Together works locally in partnership with a variety of local services and community organisations, such as schools, early years services, primary care, library services, family support, social care, and higher and further education. We also facilitate a local parents forum and include the voice and views of children themselves. Our local partners participate in planning, research, and co-ordination of our work; co-facilitate programmes with us; participate in our trainings; co-host events together; and provide facilities, time, expertise, and commitment to our vision.