On the 3 April 2018, the Executive agreed to implement the Family Hubs model for delivering prevention and early help to babies, children and young people from October 2018.

The Strategic Director Children’s Services will submit Document “F” which provides an update on implementation since April 2018 with a specific focus on area based planning.

Recommended-

That the report (Document “F”) and progress to date be noted.

                                                            (Jim Hopkinson – 01274 432904)

On the 3 April 2018, the Executive agreed to implement the Family Hubs model for delivering prevention and early help to babies, children and young people from October 2018.

The Strategic Director Children’s Services submitted Document “F”  which provided an update on implementation since April 2018 with a specific focus on area based planning.

It was reported that the new Family Hubs model, to be led by Family Hubs Area Advisory Networks and four 0-19 area teams, would provide:

·      Co-ordination and an information network across universal and targeted support in a cluster area;

·      Focused work which built family relationships and improved children’s outcomes;

·      Reduced family poverty and support social mobility;

·      Co-location of key teams, particularly with the 0-19 children’s public health service.

Members were informed that Under the Family Hubs model the Service would continue to provide the following services district-wide:

·         Early Help Gateway (including Families Information Service and SEND Local Offer) which would be a single point of contact for advice on prevention and early help linking together on-line and phone based advice, information and referral routes;

·         Oversight of educational support, including children missing from education (Education Safeguarding service);

·         Specialist behaviour support and inclusion for children and young people with special education needs and disabilities;

·         Short breaks for disabled children and young people;

·         Intensive Family support/Family Group Conferences to prevent children and young people coming into care.

It was reported that each of the four area Family Hubs Prevention and Early Help Teams would be made up of:                         

·         1 x FTE (full-time equivalent) Family Hub team manager

·        2 x FTE Senior Family Key Workers each supervising 7 x FTE Family Key Workers (14 x FTE in total).

·         1 x FTE Senior Prevention Worker supervising 7 x FTE Prevention Workers and 1 X FTE Access & Take Up Worker

·         Business Support Officers

Members were informed that each area would also be supported by key workers (‘one worker, one family, one plan’) provided under the Families First and Stronger Families projects lead by Barnardos.

Members made the following comments:

·         were staff confident working with different age ranges where at one time they would only be dealing with a certain age range?

·         How was the service ensuring that families continue to receive the same support worker in the new model?

·         How was the service ensuring the retention of staff?

In response to Members comments it was reported that:

·         there was an online self assessment training tool which each worker would access and self assess themselves in the various areas; each team would have a mix of workers in them who are used to dealing with various age ranges.

·         Workers would continue supporting the families they were working with; some workers had taken voluntary redundancy and families supported by these workers would be moved to other workers.

·         Recruitment and retention of staff requiring a Level 3 Qualification had not been a problem for the Service.

Resolved-

That a further report be submitted to the Committee in 12 months time which includes:

·         The current impact on the Service compared to the effectiveness of previously available provision

·         The impacts on Children’s Services Social Work caseload.

·         The progress on any milestones achieved.

Action:           Strategic Director, Children’s Services