Family Connections brings together Hares’ Corner Cooperative’s projects that work with families. These initiatives are delivered in partnership with local primary schools and the Social Work Multi-Disciplinary Teams serving the Garvagh Health Centre catchment area.

Through these projects, we create opportunities for families to connect with each other, access support, and take part in shared activities such as play, creativity, and time outdoors. The work aims to strengthen relationships between families, schools and support services while providing welcoming spaces where families can spend time together and build connections within their community.

Joining the Dots

In October 2025, the five primary schools within the Garvagh Health Centre catchment area came together with the Social Work Multi-Disciplinary Team and Hares’ Corner Cooperative to explore how they might work together to better support families across the area. The schools involved are Carhill IPS, Garvagh PS, Gorran PS, St Columba’s PS, and St Patrick’s & St Joseph’s PS.

By working together, we believe we can better identify, access and share resources, understand and respond to shared challenges together, and work collectively for the benefit of children and their families.

To help inform this work, a survey was distributed to parents and carers across the five schools in October and November 2025 to better understand the issues and challenges families may be experiencing.

View the survey results here.

Following this, a series of Family Support Workshops will take place across the five primary schools beginning after Easter. Further details will be shared with parents and carers through the schools.

If you would like to find out more or share feedback about what support or activities would be helpful for families, please contact the principal at any of the participating schools or get in touch via the Hares’ Corner Cooperative contact page.

Forest Families

The Forest Families Programme was developed in partnership with the Social Work Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT) at Garvagh Health Centre during the first lockdown, with the first sessions delivered in Garvagh Forest in the summer of 2020. This initiative provided families with the opportunity to reconnect, engage in outdoor activities, and improve their wellbeing in a natural environment.

Following the success in Garvagh a second strand of the programme was developed in collaboration with the MDT from the Western Health and Social Care Trust (WHSCT). This aspect of the programme aimed to extend the benefits of nature-based activities to families across the region and to support the MDT professionals in applying outdoor approaches to their social work practice.

An evaluation of the Forest Families Programme was completed to assess its impact. Families shared positive feedback, and key outcomes included:

• Increased Family Engagement: Families reported higher participation in shared outdoor activities, with noticeable improvements in communication and interaction.
• Mental Health Benefits: Many families shared that spending time outdoors helped reduce stress and anxiety, offering them a much-needed break and the chance to enjoy nature.
• Strengthened Parenting Skills: Families felt more confident in their parenting roles, with the guidance of the MDT teams offering valuable support.

Additionally, training sessions for the MDT from WHSCT were held in Roe Valley Country Park, helping social workers gain confidence in incorporating outdoor activities into their practice. This training has equipped professionals with new ways to support families and encourage positive engagement through nature.

For a full evaluation report, you can view the document here.