Newry, Mourne and South Armagh families set to benefit from new £59.2 million investment in family support
Families in Newry, Mourne and South Armagh are set to benefit from a major new partnership programme designed to provide earlier, more co-ordinated support for children and families.
The Newry, Mourne and South Armagh Family Support Hub is among the local services set to benefit through Together for Families (TfF). The programme brings together The National Lottery Community Fund, the Department of Health, Health and Social Care Trusts and the voluntary and community sector to make it easier for families to access practical support earlier and closer to home.
The initiative is supported by a £59.2 million investment, with £30 million from The National Lottery Community Fund and £29.2 million from the Northern Ireland Public Sector Transformation Fund, provided by the UK Government.
It is The National Lottery Community Fund's largest single investment in Northern Ireland in its history.
At an event in Belfast formally marking the TfF launch, Health Minister Robbie Butler said:
“I commend and warmly welcome this significant investment provided by both The National Lottery Community Fund and the Public Sector Transformation Fund.
“At a time when children’s services are under increasing pressure, this is a huge opportunity to improve the life chances of children and families across Northern Ireland, with the key aim of keeping families safely together, rather than apart.
“Together for Families reflects a shared determination to work differently, bringing partners together across the system, both the statutory and voluntary and community sector, with a clear focus on delivering better outcomes for children and families. We are at the start of this journey, but we can, and must, deliver for the children across Northern Ireland who need this support. I am committed to doing just that.
“I would encourage any voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations with extensive experience of supporting families with complex needs to consider applying for funding under this scheme, which is one of four key elements of the wider Together for Families project.”
Northern Ireland Director of The National Lottery Community Fund, Kate Beggs, said:
“This opportunity has the potential to deliver real, meaningful change where it is needed most, transforming support for families now while strengthening the wider system for the long term. Families across Northern Ireland will be able to get the right support earlier before the challenges they face reach breaking point.
“We know from the projects we already fund, and from years of listening to local communities, that targeted early intervention can make the greatest difference. Families want support that is compassionate, accessible and relevant to their lives.
“Community organisations are best placed to understand that because they have built relationships over many years and are often the first place people turn when they need help.
“We are proud to be working collaboratively with the Department of Health, the Health Trusts and the voluntary and community sector to deliver a step change in family support across Northern Ireland.
“Thanks to National Lottery players, we can fund life-changing work that helps families in the here and now and creates lasting improvements for the future.”
The launch of Together for Families comes at a time of increasing pressure for children’s services in Northern Ireland, with 4,188 children in care in March 2025 and admissions to care up by 24% since 2020/21. If nothing changes, the looked-after population is projected to grow by as much as 18% by 2029.
Together for Families is designed to respond to these pressures by giving families access to support earlier. It will strengthen the 29 Family Support Hubs across Northern Ireland, including the Newry, Mourne and South Armagh Family Support Hub, which helps families connect with local services and get early help in their communities.
It will also introduce new Enhanced Family Support Services, three in each Health and Social Care Trust area. This will provide more targeted support for families who need help, but do not meet the threshold for statutory social care intervention.
Support provided directly by Health and Social Care Trusts to families with children at risk of coming into care, or to support the safe return of children already in care, will receive additional investment to enable more families to benefit from this support. This Intensive Family Support Service will be delivered within a regionally agreed model.
Co Armagh parent Clare, who also works in the voluntary and community family support sector and has an 11-year-old autistic son, said:
“Even as a professional working in family support, I have found it difficult at times to know where to go, who to speak to, and how to get the right support joined up around my son.
“As a parent, you are trying your best every day, but it can feel exhausting when you have to keep telling your story and finding your way through different services.
“Families need help that is easier to access and built around real life. What gives me hope about Together for Families is the focus on support coming earlier and feeling more connected. That will make a real difference to parents like me and families across Northern Ireland.”