What do we mean by Relationship Health?

Relationship Health refers to the quality of connection, communication, and care within relationships that shape wellbeing — including adult–child and adult–adult relationships across home, school, healthcare, and community settings.

It provides a practical way of supporting everyday conversations about wellbeing, not as an “extra layer,” but as part of how we already work.

Why this matters

Services are working under increasing pressure, and families are often navigating complex and overlapping needs. At the same time, professionals across health, education, and community settings are frequently working in parallel rather than together.

Relationship Health offers a shared framework that can help connect these conversations, support consistency, and strengthen collaboration across systems.

This work is strongly informed by research and translated into practical application through the I Matter Learning Journey.

Who is involved?

This work is being developed in partnership with:

• Kendal Primary Care Network
• Kendal Integrated Care Community
• Westmorland and Furness Council (supporting engagement with local schools)
• Local health, education, and community practitioners

Together, these partners are exploring how a shared focus on relationship health can support more joined-up, preventative, and relational approaches to wellbeing.

The aim of the project

The long-term aim is for Relationship Health to become a recognised and practical part of everyday professional language across services — alongside physical and mental health — supporting both adult and child wellbeing.

This includes how professionals:

• talk with families
• collaborate across services
• support early help and prevention
• understand wellbeing in relational terms
  

How to get involved

I Matter in Kendal is being developed as part of a local relationship health approach, working in partnership with participating schools and local practitioners.

Rather than operating a traditional referral system, access is being developed through a combination of routes that fit within everyday community settings.    There are several ways to take part in this work:

For organisations

Become an Organisation Partner to explore implementation across your service or setting.

For Kendal-based educators

There are opportunities to apply for 50% bursary-supported access to I Matter Fundamentals training as part of the implementation phase, supported through our partnership with Relationship Health Matters CIC.  For information please contact us

For Parents and Carers

Participating schools will be able to offer access to:

• Get Started workshops (introductory, school-linked sessions)
• Community Wheel workshops (local relationship health themes)
• Optional pathways into online Core Learning, with a range of self- and supported access options where available

Within GP Practices and Schools

Certified practitioners may use I Matter materials within their own in-house teams to support patients, pupils, and families directly.

This ensures that support can be integrated into existing relationships and settings, rather than requiring external referral pathways.

Working together locally

Across Kendal, we are developing a coordinated approach with schools, health practitioners, and community partners to better understand local needs and respond in flexible, practical ways.

This mixed entry route is designed to offer different ways in, depending on needs and interest

For wider interest

If you are outside the Kendal area but interested in this work, we welcome conversations about partnership and future implementation.

Get in touch

If you would like to find out more or explore involvement in the Kendal Locality Hub, please contact us.