Their purpose is to ensure that everything they do safeguards the vulnerable, promotes learning, improves health and wellbeing and provides support where it is needed to the most vulnerable.
The Early Response Hub
The Early Response Hub launched in November 2019 as part of the Contact, Advice and Assessment Service (CAAS).
The Hub recognised that often families are in need of support but do not require a social worker.
They also recognised that it is more effective to involve families in the support plan and to speak to them directly about the difficulties they have.
My Family First
My Family First (MFF)Â works with partner agencies to provide support to children, young people and their families where:
Children or young people are at risk of, or subject to, Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE)
Children or young people go missing from education or home
There is parental substance misuse, parental mental health and/or domestic abuse
Children or young people are experiencing difficulties at home
Family’s need support to manage challenging behaviours.
MFF is made up of Intervention Workers, Missing and Exploitations Workers and Family Group Conference (FGC) Coordinators.
They all work sensitively and creatively to support children and young people within their family (and those who are not living with their own family) to achieve their full potential.
MFF works with children, young people and families (and often schools and other agencies) to create, or support, a plan to help improve their lives.
They make sure that everyone’s voice is heard.
The plans are then reviewed after six weeks, and also three months, and can be extended if necessary to help monitor the progress of the family.
MFF has a focus on earlier help, working closely with partners to provide them with advice, guidance and approaches that may be helpful to families.
If a professional or family member believes that support from MFF would be beneficial, they need to contact MFF directly or their Contact, Advice and Assessment Service (CAAS), to discuss what support may be available.
The Supporting Families Programme
Working with families that need support and stability
West Berkshire Supporting Families Programme is part of the National Supporting Families Programme.
Supporting Families is about working with the whole family, not just the children, or a single family member.
Families are often trying to deal with more than one problem at a time.
This can make it difficult for families to get the right help and support.
Although each family is different, many have issues relating to:
Crime and anti-social behaviour
Education, children not in school
Worklessness, adults on out-of-work benefits
Young people not in employment, education or training
Problems with drugs and/or alcohol
Physical or mental health problems
Domestic violence and abuse
Families at risk of homelessness or unmanaged debts
Young children failing to thrive
Each family will have a family plan and a lead professional who will help co-ordinate support services, and who they can contact when they want to talk about things, or need further help.
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