Who better to propose ideas to make the public service system better than the families who depend on it for their well-being and who must interact with the myriad of agencies and organizations each day? Families’ ideas for redesigning the system for the better aligned with the most common negative experiences they expressed: lower or more flexible income thresholds, improved customer service, and improved service delivery through better use of technology and better coordination between services.

As we looked across the experiences shared, the most positive experiences and most successful connection to services came about when that family had others—or even just one person—to support them. Whether it was a supportive family member nearby who could help, a case worker who took extra time, or a program manager who went above and beyond, it is clear that simply having access to services is often not enough. Personal support is needed, whether it’s filling in the gaps not covered by services, helping to navigate the disconnected landscape, or simply alleviating some of the isolation and frustration felt by families.

Ideas shared by families are below.