Practitioner reported barriers to parental engagement with Child Health Hubs in North West London disadvantaged neighbourhoods: a COM-B framework analysis

Background

Families from underserved communities face disproportionate barriers to accessing early years support. In response, Early Years GP Child Health Hub Pilots were set up in three North West London boroughs (Brent, Ealing, Harrow) between 2023 and 2025 to improve access to integrated services, reflecting the NHS 10-Year Plan’s ambition for neighbourhood-based care. The hubs have been funded to continue supporting local communities. However, there is limited understanding of how parents from underserved communities experience these services and the challenges they encounter in engaging with them. This study explored practitioner-reported barriers parents face in accessing and engaging with integrated child health services.