The Together Service shows what happens when families are met with support, not stigma 

Shared Health Foundation’s second new report, The Together Service: Babies, Families and Mental Health – A Five-Year Review, shows what is possible when families facing inequality are offered early, trusted and trauma-informed support. 

The Together Service provides infant-parent and perinatal mental health support from planning a pregnancy through to a child’s first year. Based in primary care, it offers families support that is accessible, universal and tailored to need — including outreach to families living in temporary accommodation.  

Over five years, 349 people from 282 families were referred to the service, including people supported through GP settings and temporary accommodation outreach. The report shows that 93% of the 89 homeless families engaged with the service, and 219 babies accessed support between 2021 and 2025.  

The outcomes matter. 97% of parents scored themselves as moving in a positive direction towards their goals, while average mental health distress scores reduced significantly over the course of support.  

The report’s findings are clear: placing support in primary care, offering a universal service, building trust and meeting families where they are can help reach some of the most disadvantaged groups.  

For 165,000 Reasons, this is the kind of practical evidence that matters. 

Families in temporary accommodation do not need systems that are fragmented, frightening or impossible to navigate. They need joined-up support. They need services that see the baby, the parent and the whole family. 

They need safe, stable homes. 

Shared Health Foundation’s work shows that better outcomes are possible when services are built around dignity, trust and early action. 

That is why 165,000 Reasons is calling for: Better standards now; Faster routes into stable homes; Long-term reform. 

Because no child’s home should be temporary. 

What will you do to support our campaign?