1. Themed Breakout: Intensive Family Support
Paul Carberry, Director of Service Development, Action for Children,
Mike Burns, Head of Social Work Services North West Glasgow and
Sheila Erskine, Children’s Services Manager, Action for Children

2. Intensive Family Support
Welcome and Introductions
What we know
Work of the Family Support Sub Group to date
Vision for the future of Family Support
How Intensive Family Support links to the work of the Early Years Collaborative
What we know
Being a parent is one of the most challenging, complex, stretching roles we will ever undertake
Child and parent/main carer relationships are one of the single most important indictors of future outcomes for children
Interventions delivered by staff that value the well-being of children and their parents can make a real difference
Since the introduction of the Early Years Framework and GIRFEC in 2008 we have been working to improve outcomes for all in the earliest years
The Early Years Taskforce 2011 was established to develop and drive strategic change and the Early Years Collaborative is the creation of a structure ‘in which partners can learn from each other and recognised experts in areas they want to make improvements’
Work of the Family Support Sub-Group to date….
Started 18 months ago. Money already allocated through this sub-group to map out and co-ordinate family support in local areas. The group are now looking at ways of distributing further resource to embed innovative practice models in local areas…
Definition of who would access Intensive Family Support; Families who have needs that are not currently being met by universal services either because of lack of engagement or because of the complexity in the range, depth and significance of their needs.
Our vision for the future of Family Support is that we
Identify families who are ‘just coping’ earlier and provide timeous support
Have greater and more effective engagement with families who are vulnerable
Reduce the need for statutory interventions
Increase meaningful engagement of vulnerable families with universal services
Ensure services are flexible, responsive and meet the needs of all families
Work in partnership with families to help them meet their own needs and the needs of their children
How Intensive Family Support links to the work of the EYC…
Assertive outreach support to families in need will be cross cutting and allow us to impact on all three of the following stretch aims

3. Stretch Aim 1
To ensure that women experience positive pregnancies which result in the birth of more healthy babies as evidenced by a reduction of 15% in the rates of stillbirths (from 4.9 per 1,000 births in 2010 to 4.3 per 1,000 births in 2015) and infant mortality (from 3.7 per 1,000 live births in 2010 to 3.1 per 1,000 live births in 2015).
Support to women to engage with maternity services and look at interventions which will help them reduce risks to them and their baby: e.g. smoking cessation, accessing healthy start vitamins, support to stop drinking alcohol etc.

4. Stretch Aim 2
To ensure that 85% of all children within each Community Planning Partnership have reached all of the expected developmental milestones at the time of the child’s month child health review, by end-2016.
Support to children and their families to engage in activities which assist with learning, development and attachment; e.g. use of play, talk, read and Bookbug resources etc.

5. Stretch Aim 3
To ensure that 90% of all children within each Community Planning Partnership have reached all of the expected developmental milestones at the time the child starts primary school, by end-2017.
Support to families who find it difficult to prioritise attendance at nursery and engagement with health services.

6. What parents have said they want
Trust and respect between parents and practitioners
Better communication between parents and practitioners
Practitioners who boost parental confidence by acknowledging the areas in a family’s life that are going well
Practitioners acknowledging parents know their children best and therefore fully informing and involving them in any decisions made about their children
(taken from Bringing Up Children: Your Views, Sept 2012
And available from
Sustainable change needs to involve parents and carers in a meaningful way. Therefore, underpinning our approach to intensive family support is a focus on meaningful engagement with families which builds on their strengths and increases their capacity.
This feedback is from the document collated from consultation with over 1500 parents and carers as part of the development of the National Parenting Strategy.

7. Key components of Intensive
Multi-agency
partnerships
Whole family
approach
Family centred but
child focused
Integrated
assessment
Key components of Intensive
Family Support
Understanding
of impact of poverty
Shared value
base
Delivered by
resilient organisations
Resourceful relationships
over time
What does this look like in reality;
Working with families in their homes and communities to establish;
routines
healthy eating
attendance at school and nursery
increased confidence in parenting
increased engagement with universal services
And a move from ‘just coping’ to ‘coping’ and hopefully thriving
Family centred but child focused – keeping children safe from harm and ensuring they receive the emotional support they need from the important adults in their life. Interventions which seek to achieve change with parents while always keeping the outcomes for the child as the focus.
Multi-agency partnerships – key agencies and families involved in the planning and review of support
Whole family approach – engagement with the whole family to work on their needs and priorities
Integrated assessment – clear referral criteria and service pathways which reduce inappropriate referrals to statutory services
Understanding the impact of poverty – recognise that poverty can have a huge impact on a family’s ability to manage and therefore any family support should include income maximisation
Delivery by resilient organisations – trained and supported skilled staff
Resourceful relationships over time – skilled staff working in partnership with families in their homes and communities over a period of time to achieve and sustain change
Shared value base – involvement of parents, respect, understanding of issues of equality and diversity

8. Putting the strategic vision into practice
Aberdeen Families Service
A continuum of care and support
A range of programmes
Integrated and collaborative from referral to closure

9. Putting the strategic vision into practice
Supporting Moray Families
Targeted intervention
Flexible resourcing
Scientific success

10. The voices that matter….

11. Parenting Strategy.
Early Years Framework.
Addiction Gap Analysis.
Inspired by CIRV.
The Canadian Professor.
Localism – neighbourhoods.

12. Virtuous Single System
Recovery
Therapy
Statutory Social Work
Family Support Framework
Parenting Support / Practical / Family Literacy / Numeracy.
Time to talk / Seasons for Growth / Early morning support.
Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) Parenting Daily Hassells (PDH).
You need time and you need trust.
GP / HV / EY Educator – engage – progressive universal.
Social capital… community assets… circle of support.
Progressive Universalism

13. Single System Therapy resilience/ recovery Statutory Social Work
Integrated Support Team
Statutory Social Work
Vulnerable Chaotic
Joint Support Team
Family Support Framework
Just Coping
Family Support a spectrum of coherent intervention.
Better understanding of the statutory threshold/the tipping point.
From identification to engagement… from referral to help.
The impact of an IAF - still spending too much too late.
The need for coordination and coherence in preventative spend.
Joint Support Team
Progressive Universalism
Coping

14. Next Steps Week on ‘supporting de-escalating’.
Define the spectrum/framework … define intensive.
From Partners to Colleagues.
‘Insight knowledge’ to ‘insight barriers’.
Knowledge to insight to wisdom.
Wisdom into practice.
‘Insight knowledge’ about localities…neighbourhoods…streets and families.

15. Joining the Dots. 30 Month Health Visitor Assessment 0 – 2
placements
Social Work/
Addictions
One Glasgow –
Our Community
Assets
3 years
SDQ in all
schools
Triple P
Joining the Dots.
Family Learning
Centres
Education
Leaders / Champions Across the city.
Shared Vision – Joint Support Team.
Mapping / Ownership in each neighbourhood.
Joining the Dots… getting to outcomes.
Intelligent networks.
Joint Support
Team

16. Thankyou and any questions…