Outcomes Plan 2015 · 2019. 7. 20. · 3 Introduction The aim of the Stronger Families Programme is...

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Doncaster Stronger Families Expanded Programme

Outcomes Plan 2015 – 2020

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Contents Introduction ...................................................................................................................................................................... 3

How to use the Outcomes Plan......................................................................................................................................... 5

Case Management ............................................................................................................................................................ 5

Interventions ..................................................................................................................................................................... 6

Whole Family Action Plans and Systemic assessments .................................................................................................... 6

Support through the Stronger Families Programme ........................................................................................................ 6

Outcome 1..................................................................................................................................................................... 7

Outcome 2..................................................................................................................................................................... 9

Outcome 3 ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………11

Outcome 4................................................................................................................................................................... 13

Outcome 5................................................................................................................................................................... 15

Outcome 6................................................................................................................................................................... 17

Appendix 1 ...................................................................................................................................................................... 20

Early Help Pathway ..................................................................................................................................................... 20

Appendix 2 ...................................................................................................................................................................... 21

Stronger Families Expectations Brief .......................................................................................................................... 21

Background ................................................................................................................................................................. 21

Family support workers will be required to: ............................................................................................................... 21

5 FAMILY INTERVENTION PRINCIPLES:........................................................................................................................ 22

1. Dedicated workers, dedicated to families ....................................................................................................... 22

2. Practical ‘hands on’ support............................................................................................................................ 23

3. Persistent, assertive and challenging approach.............................................................................................. 24

4. Considering the family as a whole – gathering the intelligence ..................................................................... 24

5. A common purpose and agreed action ........................................................................................................... 25

Payment by Results ......................................................................................................................................................... 25

Summary of Outcomes Plan............................................................................................................................................ 27

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Introduction The aim of the Stronger Families Programme is to improve the way families are supported to improve their lives using a whole family approach through a lead practitioner model and building resilience; as well as reduce the demand on high cost services by identifying and intervening in families earlier. Doncaster successfully delivered the first phase of Stronger Families between 2012 and 2015, supporting

over 1000 families and successfully ‘turning around’ (DCLG criteria) 870 families as agreed with the

Government. This has enabled Doncaster to be eligible for the Expanded Programme (AKA Phase 2) which

is proposed as a 5 year programme (2015 -2020) with the first year guaranteed and the subsequent four to

be agreed after the General Election May 2015 as part of the Autumn Spending Review statement in

November.

The Expanded Programme is named as such because it does just that, it has widened the eligibility criteria

for families to be included so that local areas will be able to include the families that are of most concern

to them, high cost or fit local priority issues. This programme is based on 6 family themes which families

must have at least two to be eligible. These themes are:

1. Parents and children involved in crime or anti-social behaviour.

2. Children who have not been attending school regularly.

3. Children who need help.

4. Adults out of work or at risk of financial exclusion and young people at risk of worklessness.

5. Families affected by domestic violence and abuse.

6. Parents and children with a range of health problems. A family is, for the purposes of the Stronger Families programme is based on the definition used by the Census 2011– i.e. ‘a group of people who either share living accommodation, or share one meal a day and who have the address as their only or main residence’. This has to include at least on dependent child or young person (dependent child is a person aged 0-15 in a household or aged 16-18 in full-time education, in training

or unemployed and living in a family with his or her parent(s). ) Under these themes we have developed our indicators, evidence sources and suggested interventions for workers to consider when families present with these issues. The Outcomes plan is our tool to enable Audit to agree our claims for families making significant & sustained progress, to go forward to the Department for Communities and Local government (DCLG) for Payment by Results (PbR) money. Unlike the first phase of Stronger Families, however, we also have to report on the amount of finances saved through the programme via the Cost Benefit Calculator tool introduced by DCLG, contribute to the National Impact Study (NIS) by providing much more data on a sample of families, increase the amount of information we report on through the Family Progress Data (FPD) process and we have to report on how we are transforming services to better meet the needs of whole families. These latter elements of reporting are the main focus for DCLG in the Expanded Programme. This plan is not fixed; it is an iterative ‘living’ plan that must reflect priorities for the area and the needs of families as they change. It will also develop as we develop our processes and the Expanded Programme develops nationally moving into the further four year period. It is inextricably linked to the Early Help

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developments in Doncaster and to partner organisations own priorities and KPI’s as Stronger Families is everyone’s business. We will have to ‘turn around’ 2890 families over the five year period of the Expanded Programme which is a huge task but with everyone playing their part is feasible. It is important to state that these are not ‘new’ families but they are families we as partners are working with already in some way or other. What this programme aims to do is embed the whole family approach to working with families to improve the services they receive and help them build their resilience to sustain improvements they make. The Stronger Families Expectations Brief outlines this (Appendix 2). This is based on the 5 family intervention principles laid out in the DCLG report “Working with Troubled Families - A guide to the evidence and good practice” Dec 2012. It also aims to isolate and communicate cost savings showing how the service transformation processes are reducing costs and thus providing potential for ongoing sustained funding for whole family approaches to working Equalities The Public Sector Equalities Duty (PSED) was introduced by the Equality Act 2010 and replaces the race, disability and gender equality duty. Compliance with the PSED is a legal obligation. The duty ensures councils, and other public bodies, consider how different people will be affected by their activities and services. We link closely into Doncaster Council’s service specific objectives as they reflect the priorities of the borough, these are:

To improve economic outcomes for young people by increasing opportunities to be in education, employment or training especially those aged 16-24, young parents, females, carers, those with disabilities looked after young people and those with special educational needs.

To support more women into employment and training opportunities

To narrow the educational attainment gap between different groups of children across all the key stages

To reduce the number of hate crime offences which cover a number of protected characteristics

To reduce the levels of violence and domestic abuse, increase reporting and support mechanisms available for victims in particular women.

To increase awareness and access for adult social care users who are over 65, those with mental health issues and those from BME backgrounds to self-directed support, providing improved choice and control.

To improve health and wellbeing by reducing health inequalities. Under the PSED we are required to undertake an due regard statement for the programme which outlines how we have considered the impact of the programme on the nine protected characteristics outlined in the PSED and how we have made reasonable adjustments to minimise any negative impacts that may be

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foreseen. This, like the Outcomes Plan, is not a one off piece of work but an ongoing process to review, amend and adapt as impacts change or appear with the changes in the programme itself. Regular reviews of the impacts of the programme will take place alongside PbR claims and Outcome plan developments.

How to use the Outcomes Plan The plan is divided into the 6 family outcomes, under each are the indicators we are using to identify

families (eligibility), the required milestones to achieve outcomes to prove significant and sustained

progress, links to the Borough Strategy, information sources and suggested interventions.

This Outcomes Plan should be viewed alongside the process flow chart (Appendix 1). When you engage

with a family we want you to assess whether they are eligible for the programme by checking their

circumstances against the eligibility criteria outlined in this plan (also as a list on the Early Help Module

[EHM] ). If you are unsure there are people listed on the EHM to assist you. If families are eligible this does

not mean you make a referral to another professional; Stronger Families is everyone’s business and you

may still be the lead for that family, but have access to enhanced resources to help you help the family.

Follow the process flowchart and the instructions on EHM to gather family information.

We have included in this plan examples of the type of evidence we will require to provide to Audit to make

a claim under each outcome and some core intervention ideas as well as where to get extra support. Please

note this is not an exhaustive list.

We know that outcomes are linked in that presenting issues may be the result of an underlying cause, for

example emotional wellbeing may be a result of drug or substance misuse, or equally it may be the result

of debt and financial issues. We also know that an outcome may only be achieved if the root causes are

tackled and so it may be necessary to support a family’s mental health issues before they are able to

consider pathway to work. The point of a whole family approach is to understand the whole family, their

functioning and the root causes to their issues that they need help with to enable them to progress and

sustain improvements in their lives.

Case Management The Early Help Module (EHM) is the new case management system being developed to support the

Stronger Families Programme and all early help cases. There will be forms that ask workers to identify if

families meet the eligibility criteria for the Expanded Stronger Families Programme and therefore access to

resources and support. The EHM is a changed version of the CAF that reflects the whole family and

requires a whole family focus on assessment and interventions. The forms are designed to allow workers

to quickly input information and view the whole family progress and flexible enough to allow for workers

to give bespoke information based on the assessment processes.

All workers will be expected to have undertaken training on the EHM to be competent and confident in

using it. It is a web based system with access via a personal log in so all agencies will be able to access it as

required. We know that some partner agencies may have some difficulties and so support is in place to

help individual workers / agencies to access and input onto the system.

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Interventions We are moving more and more towards an evidenced based interventions model where we know and can

show that interventions with families work. This has a number of benefits including more value for money,

more effective outcomes for families, less duplication and greater efficiencies for services. We aim to help

workers identify evidenced based interventions that may be helpful for the family as part of their whole

family action plan.

We also understand that sometimes what we have doesn’t fit and we may want to test new interventions

that don’t have an evidence base, and so we will be looking to seek out innovative new interventions and

use these to build our own evidence base.

Whole Family Action Plans and Systemic assessments The central premise of Stronger Families is that we work with families as a whole through a lead

practitioner, not with individuals within the family in isolation. Family functioning plays a huge part on the

issues that families face, the way they interact with services and their ability to achieve outcomes. This

requires families to be assessed on a whole family basis and for action plans to be developed on a whole

family basis, with agreed goals and responsibilities by all involved.

We have invested heavily in Child & Family Assessment Training for staff across partner agencies to build a

consistent methodology to using systemic approaches to whole family assessments. These will help build a

whole family action plan that all sign up to (including the family) and are clear on their responsibilities. The

EHM will enable simple clear monitoring of families where all involved can keep up to date with

developments and progress, led by a lead professional.

Support through the Stronger Families Programme We also want to provide families and their workers with resources and support to help make progress as

quickly as possible and maintain those improvements for the long term. We have listed the main sources of

support available to families and their workers; for example the innovation fund is available for workers to

seek small amounts of funding to unblock barriers or overcome issues that may be preventing families

from progressing or overcome a crisis; but we are also very keen to hear about other potential helpful

ways we can help families from workers and families themselves.

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Outcome 1:

Family ceases involvement in crime and anti-social behaviour

Borough Strategy Theme 6: Tackling crime & anti-social behaviour (ASB) across the borough.

Eligibility criteria:

1.1 A child who has committed a proven offence in the previous 12 months

1.2 An adult or child who has received an anti-social behaviour intervention (or equivalent local

measure) in the last 12 months.

1.3 An adult with parenting responsibilities who is on licence or supervision in the community

following release from prison.

1.4 A warning letter about breach of tenancy conditions for nuisance or anti-social behaviour at

any stage of possession proceedings

1.5 Environmental Health interventions to tackle complaints of domestic noise nuisance

Sustained & significant Progress measures:

1.1 Significant & Sustained improvement – 60% reduction across the family for 6 months

1.2 Significant & Sustained improvement – 40% reduction across the family for 6 months.

1.3 Significant & Sustained improvement – No further offence within 6 months

1.4 Significant & sustained improvement – No further complaints for 6 months.

1.5 Significant & sustained improvement – No further interventions in 6 months

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Evidence required:

All members of the family to have sustained or significant improvement across all of the eligibility

criteria in order for a claim to be submitted. Claims will require case worker evidence including

dates of last offence /complaint / intervention.

Example Interventions (not exhaustive list):

Guidance to staff on core interventions available to support families to meet this criteria. (EG:

CRC – Building Respectful Relationships programme (BRR)

Diversionary activities such as Kicks programme

Diversionary activities organised by local groups

Benefits:

Outline of the expected benefits of family meeting this criteria (see Cheshire example).

Improved family relationships

Reduced community tensions

Better role models and increased employability

Support available:

EG: Access to Innovation Fund via Stronger Communities Manager

FIO support to update EHM

Communities’ officers to support aspects of Whole Family Action Plan

Early Help service support

Linking Outcomes:

3 – All children attend school regularly

4 – Adults are supported into work and/or out of financial exclusion and/or young

people are supported into employment education and training

5 - Family no longer affected by domestic violence and abuse

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Outcome 2:

All children in the family attend school regularly

Borough Strategy Theme 4: Protecting and improving all our children’s lives.


2.1 Unauthorised absence over the last 3 consecutive school terms.

2.2 A child who received at least 3 fixed term exclusions over the last 3 consecutive school

terms.

2.3 A child who is in alternative provision for behavioural problems.

2.4 A child who is neither registered with a school or being educated otherwise

2.5 A child who has poor punctuality and more than 6 late marks at school in a six week period.


2.1 Significant & sustained improvement – Each individual attends 85% of their expected

attendance over three consecutive school terms (Note: this increased to 90% in

September 2015 in line with DfE guidelines)

2.2 Significant & sustained improvement – No further FTE in 3 consecutive school terms

2.3 Significant & sustained Improvement – Child moves back into mainstream provision or

most appropriate provision

2.4 Significant & sustained improvement – Child is registered with a school or is educated at

home (and is an acceptable arrangement).

2.5 Significant & sustained Improvement – A 25% improvement in punctuality over 3

consecutive school terms.

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Evidence required: School attendance figures,

evidence from EWO’s , case worker, school and provider to include agreed timetable / attendance expectations if other than 100%

punctuality data,

registration with School or alternative provision appropriate to young person or child,

Evidence of agreement of home education


Case work – whole family approach

EWO’s - Work with families on developing good habits – morning routine, bedtime routine

Improving punctuality and attendance via initiatives and casework and the School Attendance Matters Program and the Wise Up Programme

Specialist work with migrant families to support successful transition to the Education System

Parent workshops for Early Years and as an alternative to Fixed Penalty Notices

Benefits:

Improved punctuality,

attendance and attainment,

Reduced ASB

Reduced NEET.

Increased employability. Improved self-esteem and confidence,

Increased social interaction.

Support available:

4 EG: Access to innovation fund 5 Access to extra support via SF funded EWO’s 6 FIO support to update EHM 7 Additional school support 8 Universal youth offer

Linking Outcomes:

1 – Family ceases involvement in crime and anti-social behaviour

3 – Children receive help at the earliest point

4 – Adults are supported into work and/or out of financial exclusion and/or young

people are supported into employment education and training

6 – Families have improved health

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Outcome 3:

Children receive help at the earliest point

Borough Strategy Theme 4: Protecting and improving all our children’s lives.


3.1 A family who is entitled to access the two year old entitlement and are not taking up the free

childcare place for their child.

3.2 Under 5’s not taking up nursery and do not have alternative provision in place.

3.3 A child in need under section 17 of the Children’s Act.

3.4 A child who has been referred to Early Help Triage

3.5 A child who is subject to Child protection Plan.

3.6 A child who goes missing from home


3.1 Significant & sustained improvement – The child access all of the 15 hours entitlement on

a regular basis.

3.2 Significant & sustained improvement – The child access all of the entitlement a regular

basis.

3.3 Significant & sustained improvement – CIN cases remain closed for 6 months (clarify how

that fits with step down into low level support / super light cases support in SF?)

3.4 Significant & sustained improvement – A whole family action plan is in place and

outcomes are achieved – To be monitored locally only until processes and presenting issues

outside of SF criteria are analysed.

3.5 Significant & sustained improvement - CP case is stepped down and remains in early help

for 6 months ( needs more robust step down agreements linked to whole family action

plan)

3.6 Significant & sustained improvement – TBC (EG reduction in police call outs / incidents of

missing from home)

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Evidence required:

All members of the family to have sustained improvement across all of the eligibility

criteria which were identified when the family was referred.

Evidence will be gathered from case worker and from data feeds in order to assess for

progress against the criteria.

School readiness information

Child with a disability has support / EHC plan in place

Police call outs re missing from home, family worker evidence


Children’s Centre support – parenting support

Early Help service support

Short Breaks for Disabled Children

Health Support

Benefits:

Improved school readiness,

Improved behaviour,

Social networks for parents,

Access to support for family at the right time for optimum benefit.

Support available:

EG: Access to innovation fund


Parenting support

Linking Outcomes:


4 – Adults are supported into work and/or out of financial exclusion and/or young people

are supported into employment education and training


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Outcome 4

Outcome 4:

Adults are supported into work or out of financial exclusion or young people

are supported to be in employment, education or training.

Borough Strategy Theme 1: Creating a strong, connected and inclusive economy.


4.1 An adult in receipt of out of work benefits – (JSA, IS, ESA etc.) add JSA, IS, ESA etc.)

4.2 A young person who is about to leave compulsory education who has low/ no predicted

qualifications - Monitor locally initially to test access to data and outcomes.

4.3 A young person who is not in education, employment or training (NEET)

4.4 A family with rent arrears or other substantial debts

4.5 A family living in temporary accommodation


4.1 Significant & sustained improvement – Adult moves off out of work benefits into work for 6

months OR takes up volunteering opportunity or takes up learning as progress to work (JSA)

or 13 weeks (ESA, IS, IB, Carers allowance, Severe disablement Allowance)

4.2 Significant & sustained improvement – Young person is not NEET on leaving school for 6

months

4.3 Significant & sustained improvement – Young person is EET for 6 months

4.4 Significant & sustained improvement – Rent arrears plan in place or debt management plan

in place resulting in reduced arrears / debt

4.5 Significant & sustained improvement – Family gains secure accommodation and retains it

for 6 months

Evidence required:

Employment start date / claim end date / volunteering start date

School intended destination data set (May annually).

NEET/Not knowns list

All members of the family to have sustained improvement across all of the eligibility criteria which were identified when the family was referred.

Evidence will be gathered from case worker and from data feeds in order to assess for progress against the criteria.

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DWP TFEA support to family workers and direct with families to look at best options to

gain employment or route to employment.

DWP – Help with C.V., employability courses (See TFEA)

Libraries C.V. support and access to I.T.

Volunteering opportunities

St Leger World of Work scheme (St Leger tenants only)

IAG

Family and community learning opportunities

Universal youth offer

Benefits:

Families where adults are in work are better off and often pay less for services,

Young people who are not NEET have better prospects and improved opportunities.

Families in work rely less on services and cost less, they also make a contribution to the

economy.

Families develop skills and knowledge to manage their finances better and avoid crises in

future

Greater resilience

Less stress and worry related to debt

Support available:


TFEA support

Fast track to services???


Linking Outcomes:

1 – Family ceases involvement in crime and anti-social behaviour.




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Outcome 5

Borough Strategy Theme 6: Tackling crime & anti-social behaviour (ASB) across the borough.


5.1 Significant & sustained improvement – No further experience over 6 months

5.2 Significant & sustained improvement – No further instances of DV or abuse reported against

the individual in 6 months.

5.3 Significant & sustained improvement – No further call outs received to family home reported

against the individual in 6 months.

Outcome 5:

Family no longer affected by domestic violence and abuse.

Evidence required:

All members of the family to have sustained improvement across all of the eligibility

criteria which were identified when the family was referred.




5.1 A young person or adult known as having experienced, currently experiencing or at risk of

experiencing domestic violence or abuse in the last 12 months

5.2 A young person or adult known as having perpetrated an incident of domestic violence or

abuse in the last 12 months.

5.3 The family has been subject to a police call out in the past 12 months.

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Benefits:

Increased knowledge and skills for family members of how to deal with DA

Reduced or ceased incidents of abuse or violence

Increased safety for children, increased attendance and attainment at school

Support for perpetrators to manage their behaviour

Reduced Police callouts

Support available:



Victims support services

Perpetrator support programmes


MPACT programme (substance and alcohol misuse)

IMPACT programme (offender management)

IDVA service (support for high risk cases)

Domestic Abuse Caseworker service (lower level cases)

Foundation 4 Change (perpetrators programme)

Getting On (Teen to parent abuse programme)

You & Me mum (mums and children)

Freedom project

Building better relationships (CRC)

Riverside floating support service & refuge

Linking Outcomes:

1 – Family ceases involvement in crime and anti-social behaviour.




are supported to be in employment, education or training


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Outcome 6

Borough Strategy Theme 5: Improving health and support for independent lives.


6.1 Significant & sustained improvement – There is an active plan in place and there are no

further referrals for the same or other problems over a 6 month period. (progress recorded

by family and worker using Edinburgh scale or NEF)

6.2 Significant & sustained improvement – 6 month attendance in rehab and or support with no

further known instances of concern.

6.3 Significant & sustained improvement - Family physical health and wellbeing improves

through use of ONS questions and self-reporting of family endorsed by lead professional.

6.4 Significant & sustained improvement – TBC (EG completion of weight management programme?)

Outcome 6:

Families have improved health.

Evidence required:

All members of the family to have sustained or significant improvement across all of the

eligibility criteria in order for a claim to be submitted.




6.1 A child, or, an adult with parental responsibilities, with emotional well-being or mental health

issues

6.2 A child, or, an adult with parenting responsibilities, with drug, alcohol or substance misuse

issues

6.3 The family improve their physical health and wellbeing (basket indicator based on ONS wellbeing

scores and to also contain smoking, isolation, GP/Dentist registration, and other health priorities.)

6.4 An obese child or young person in the family

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Obesity:

Basic needs; provision of food, finances and routines around mealtimes

Cook & eat workshops

Drug & Alcohol:

MPACT programme

Intensive support from midwife and health visitor

Emotional wellbeing & mental health:

Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) RDASH

CAMHS

Benefits:

Healthier lifestyle choices

Better self-management

Reduced health complications and future reliance on services

Support available:


Fast track to services???


Access to AFCL learning opportunities

Linking Outcomes:




are supported to be in employment, education or training

5 – family no longer affected by domestic violence and abuse.

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Appendix 1

Early Help Pathway

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Appendix 2

Stronger Families Expectations Brief Doncaster Stronger Families Programme is centred on the evidence base of family interventions outlined in the DCLG

report ‘Working with Troubled Families – A guide to evidence and good practice’ (DCLG Dec 2012).

The paper below outlines our expectations of a way of working with families as a whole unit.

Background

For the purposes of qualifying to be part of the Troubled Families Programme, they are those who meet at least 2 of the six headline criteria below:

1. Parents and children involved in crime or anti-social behaviour. 2. Children who have not been attending school regularly. 3. Children who need help: children of all ages, who need help, are identified as in need or are subject

to a Child Protection Plan. 4. Adults out of work or at risk of financial exclusion or young people at risk of worklessness. 5. Families affected by domestic violence and abuse. 6. Parents and children with a range of health problems.

Family support workers will be required to:

Work in partnership with all other agencies as determined by the programme

Work with partners to risk assess families identified through S.F. programme (via Triage arrangements)

Receive referrals of families assessed as high level \ complex families and where appropriate those medium families on the cusp of high level needs as determined by Area Managers as local coordinators

Work to the 5 family intervention principles set out below

Keep accurate up to date records using a family assessment process and family action plan

Report to Area managers and provide information about outcomes achieved in a timely manner– linked to the above criteria and agreed family action plans?

Step down families to a range of universal \ lower level support as appropriate

Be flexible and take on changes within the programme as they arise

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Doncaster Stronger Families programme has adopted the 5 evidence based family intervention principles

5 FAMILY INTERVENTION PRINCIPLES:

1. A dedicated worker, dedicated to a family 2. Practical ‘hands on’ support 3. A persistent, assertive and challenging approach 4. Considering the family as a whole – gathering the intelligence 5. Common purpose and agreed action

1. Dedicated workers, dedicated to families

The evidence suggests that much of the success of family intervention work is due to the skills of individual

workers, both in building an honest and productive relationship with a family and influencing the actions of

other agencies around that family. A family’s impression of their worker is often what determines their views of

an entire service and willingness to work with it. If practitioners can overcome families’ resistance and start to

build such relationships, families are much more likely to accept the support being offered and respond to the

strong challenge to try to change their lives. They ‘grip’ the family, their problems and the surrounding agencies

and are seen to be standing alongside the families, their difficulties and the process being put in place, which

can lead to new approaches to dealing with long standing problems.

“The early help assessment should be undertaken by a lead professional who should provide support to

the child and family, act as an advocate on their behalf and coordinate the delivery of support services. The lead professional role could be undertaken by a General Practitioner (GP), family support worker, teacher, health visitor and/or special educational needs coordinator. Decisions about who should be the lead professional should be taken on a case by case basis and should be informed by the child and their family. “

(Working Together to Safeguard Children - A guide to inter-agency working to safeguard and promote the welfare of children. March 2013)

Doncaster Stronger Families model is developing a tiered approach depending upon the complexity of need within

the family; this worker will be either a dedicated intensive family support worker or professional who takes on a lead

professional role. This person will provide a conduit for the family to other professionals and vice versa, playing a

coordination role respected by all involved.

The purpose of these roles is to ‘grip’ the family and coordinate services to meet the needs and issues identified with

the family; taking responsibility for a case load of families, planning, co-ordinating and evaluating progress towards

outcomes from their single family action plan. Delivering some aspects of family action plans where appropriate.

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The role of lead professional

The lead professional is not a new role, but a set of core functions to help deliver effective, integrated support,

namely:

act as a single point of contact for the child or family

coordinate the delivery of the actions agreed by the practitioners involved

reduce overlap and inconsistency in the services offered to families.

A lead professional will be required to carry out a number of tasks, which will be a normal course of action.

These might include

building a trusting relationship with the family (or other carers) to secure their involvement in the process

being the single point of contact for the family and a sounding board for them to ask questions and discuss

concerns

being the single point of contact for all practitioners who are delivering services to the child

coordinating the effective delivery of a package of ‘solution-focused’ actions. And also establishing a process

by which this will be reviewed regularly.

Practitioners reported the following benefits of taking on the lead professional role:

the role helped them access services for the child or young person in a swift and timely manner, thus intervening before problems escalated

many welcomed the opportunity to work more closely with the child’s parents or carers in a different way

they were able to develop valuable skills for their own career development.

2. Practical ‘hands on’ support

An initial focus on practical help, such as overdue repairs, cleaning projects, rubbish clearance or obtaining

crucial items such as beds for children or a functioning washing machine is important in starting to build the

relationship with families needed to bring about change. Seeing some practical and quick results can signal to

families that the worker intends to keep their promises and is there to help. This may be the point where

families begin to see their worker as different to other agencies in their lives (who may assess and tell families

what they are doing wrong – but don’t always offer assistance to make things right) and begin to trust them

and become more willing to work with them.

We want to show our families in Doncaster that practical actions help to solve their issues; workers will be

expected to help in a practical way not just telling families what they need to do. We already have examples of

where a practical support action has helped in engaging families in a more positive way by sourcing equipment,

accessing additional services or practically leading household tasks.

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3. Persistent, assertive and challenging approach

One of the most definitive characteristics of family intervention workers is that they are persistent, tenacious and

assertive with families who often say they are not interested in the help being offered or don’t answer the door.

Families have described how the arrival of the family intervention case worker is a real ‘wake-up moment’ and that it

feels very different to that of other agencies. Often families are really on their last chance with other agencies or the

council, perhaps through the distress they are causing their neighbours, or because their children are at risk or being

neglected, and are therefore facing a variety of enforcement action. Family intervention workers make it clear that

they have to either take this intensive help or potentially face some tough consequences. Sometimes this

arrangement is set out in a written contract that the family and agencies sign.

We are clear that in Doncaster there is no option for families to carry on and ignore or decline help. They must be

made aware that the offer of help is there but to not engage may bring on consequences such as eviction or court

proceedings where appropriate. The workers must be clear on this from the outset and be assertive in their

approach to develop that honest but challenging relationship with families.

4. Considering the family as a whole – gathering the intelligence

Workers go to great lengths to try to understand how things feel for the family and the children within that

family. Work with a family starts with frequent visits to the home: meeting, talking to and observing families

and their interactions to carry out an assessment of the whole family. They gather as much information about

the family as is possible to try to understand the patterns of behaviour (for example, previous history of care),

to understand the influences on the family (perhaps the father might be in prison or the grandmother may be

available for child care) in order to work out the best way forward. This often distinguishes this work from other

agencies that tend to – despite good intentions – only consider individuals or individual family issues rather

than the whole family. This often means that the family often feel their worker really knows and understands

them.

These wider perspectives of the family can shed new light on what the real issues are for a family or what the

solutions may be. For example families can have unaddressed health problems which are often at the root of

other difficulties.

In Doncaster we want to see whole family assessments based on the EHM informed by lengthy interaction with

the family and influencing factors, agency history and specialist assessments that have already taken place. This

will then inform the development of a single family action plan.

25

5. A common purpose and agreed action

Through family intervention, families and their problems are ‘gripped’ and a plan of action for resolving them

developed and agreed. Cases are not allowed to 'drift', and the family intervention worker will ensure the

efforts of different agencies and professionals are pulled together and aligned. This reduces the opportunity for

families to ‘play agencies off against each other’, provides an opportunity to reduce some of the overlapping

agency activity that surrounds these families and the waste that entails, plus the knock-on impact that may

have on the families. It requires family intervention workers and managers to cut through overlapping plans,

assessments and activity, to prevent resources being wasted as different agencies pull in conflicting directions.

In Doncaster we want to see single family action plans developed where a whole family assessment provides in

depth knowledge of the family, their issues and needs, strengths and abilities which then informs a single family

plan agreed by the family and agencies. All involved will then be clear on their responsibilities and actions which

will lead to much easier progress monitoring.

Payment by Results The payment by Results (PbR) process continues into the Expanded Programme but this Outcomes Plan is the

basis of those claims rather than a set of centrally agreed outcomes. We must (with the agreement of Audit0

provide evidence that families have made the significant and sustained progress outlined in the first section of

this plan. Whichever of the 6 headline family themes are pertinent to the family must be included and each

must show the agreed level of progress across the agreed timespan.

It is crucial that family support workers ensure the correct information is collected and logged onto the EHM

system so that progress reports can be generated. Stronger Families programme is one of only a few that bring

much needed income into Doncaster to support families; inability to claim will reduce the level of income we

can attract.

26

Currently we believe there will be three ‘claim windows’ in the first year of the programme; these are:

May 2015 (for early adopters)

September 2015

January 2016

The guidelines provided indicate that one claim can be made per family, but must evidence where

improvements are sustained against all of the 6 eligible criteria identified within that family. Given the

timescales before sustained progress can be realised it is anticipated that main claim period will be January

2016 (especially where there are education issues identified)

27

Summary Doncaster Stronger Families Outcomes Plan

DCLG Family Theme Nomination / Referral Routes* Sustained and Significant Progress

Link to other plans

Data Source Existing Source (Y/N)

Data Sharing Protocol

1.

Parents and

children involved

in crime or

antisocial

behaviour

(Outcome:

Family ceases

involvement in

crime and anti-

social behaviour)

Borough Strategy

Theme 6

1.1 An adult or child who has

committed a proven offence

in the previous 12 months

Significant & Sustained

improvement –

60% reduction across the

family for 6 months

SSDP

Early Help

Youth

Offending

Team &

Police

Yes – within the phase 1 framework Outcomes – no

further offences

in 6 months

Y – Safer

Stronger

Doncaster

Partnership

1.2 An adult or child who has

received an anti-social

behaviour intervention (or

equivalent local measure) in

the last 12 months.


improvement –

40% reduction across the

family for 6 months.

SSDP SYCRC cross check cohort to probation provider Outcomes – no

issues within the

period of the

licence /

supervision

Y – Safer

Stronger

Doncaster

Partnership

1.3 An adult with parenting

responsibilities who is on

licence or supervision in the

community following release

from prison.


improvement –

No further offence within

6 months

SSDP SYCRC Cross check cohort

to SYCRC

Y – Safer

Stronger

Doncaster

Partnership

1.4 A warning letter about

breach of tenancy conditions

for nuisance or anti-social

behaviour at any stage of

possession proceedings

Significant & sustained

improvement –

No further complaints for

6 months.

SLHD Y Y – Safer

Stronger

Doncaster

Partnership

1.5 Environmental Health

interventions to tackle

complaints of domestic noise

nuisance


improvement

No further interventions

for 6 months.

Enforcemen

t team

y Y – Safer

Stronger

Doncaster

Partnership

2.

Children who

have not been

attending school

regularly

(Outcome: All

children in the

family attend

school regularly)

Borough Strategy

Theme 4

2.1 Unauthorised absence

over the last 3 consecutive

terms


improvement –

Each individual attends

85% of their expected

attendance over three

consecutive school terms.

(Note: this increased to

90% in September 2015 in

line with DfE guidelines)

Early Help Education /

School

Yes - Outcomes –

as in phase 1

framework

Information

compiled locally for

submission to the

Department for

Education for the

School Census

Y

2.2 A child who has received

at least 3 fixed term

exclusions over the last 3

consecutive school terms


improvement –

No further FTE in 3



School

As above Y

28


Link to other plans



2.3 A child who is in

alternative provision for

behavioural problems.


Improvement –

Child moves back into

mainstream provision or

most appropriate

provision


School

As above Y

2.4 A child who is neither

registered with a school, nor

being educated otherwise.


improvement –

Child is registered with a

school or is educated at

home (and is an

acceptable arrangement).

Early Help Education Information

compiled locally

from within the

local authority

Y

2.5 A child who has poor

punctuality and more than 6

late marks in a 6 week period.


Improvement –

A 25% improvement in

punctuality over 3


Early Help Information

compiled by APWS

3.

Children who

need help

(Outcome:

Children receive

help at the

earliest point.)

Borough Strategy

Theme 4

3.1 A family who is entitled to

access the Two Year Old

Entitlement and are not

taking up the free childcare

place for their child

Early Help Early Years

Free

Entitlement

Team

(Education

Standards &

Effectivenes

s Service)

Yes

3.2 Under 5’s not taking up

nursery and do not have

alternative provision in

place?

Early Help Early years Yes

3.3 A child in need under

section 17 of the Children’s

Act

Early Help CYP Trust Yes

3.4 A child who has been re-

referred to Early Help triage.


3.5 A child subject to a child

protection plan


3.6 A child missing from

home

TBC (EG no more police

call outs in 6 months)

Early Help N Y – Safer

Stronger

Doncaster

Partnership

4.

Adults out of

work or at risk of

financial

4.1 An adult in receipt of out

of work benefits – (JSA, IS,

ESA, etc)

Significant &

sustained

improvement –

Adult moves off out

DWP

automated /

Benefits /

Other

Yes but would

benefit from

additional data

(NINO) plus if also

going to be used

for assessment of

progress additional

Y

29


Link to other plans



exclusion or

young people at

risk of

worklessness

(Outcome: Adults

are supported

into work and/or

out of financial

exclusion and/or

young people are

supported to be

in employment,

education or

training)

Borough Strategy

Theme 6

of work benefits

into work for 6

months OR takes up

volunteering

opportunity or takes

up accredited

learning as progress

to work

data is needed

4.2 A young person who is

about to leave compulsory

education who has low/ no

predicted qualifications

Significant &

sustained

improvement –

Young person is not

NEET on leaving

school for 6 months

Early Help Pam

Bolderson

Yes

Outcomes –

transfer from

NEETs to EETs

Y

4.3 A young person who is

not in education,

employment or training

(NEET)

Significant &

sustained

improvement –

Young person is EET

for 6 months

Early Help

4.4 A family with rent arrears

or other substantial debts

Significant &

sustained

improvement –

Rent arrears plan in

place or debt

management plan in

place resulting in

reduced arrears /

debt

Early Help

4.5 A family living in

temporary accommodation

Significant &

sustained

improvement –

Family gains secure

accommodation and

retains it for 6

months

Early Help

5.

Families affected

by domestic

violence and

Victims

5.1 A young person or adult

known as having

experienced, currently

experiencing or at risk of

experiencing domestic

Significant &

sustained

improvement –

No further

experience over 6

SSDP

Early Help

DACs /

victim

service/IDV

A service

and

perpetrator

Service data

will

Y - .

Police

DAC workers

Y – Safer

Stronger

Doncaster

Partnership

30


Link to other plans



abuse

(Outcome: Family

no longer

affected by

domestic

violence and

abuse)

Borough Strategy

Theme 6

violence or abuse in the last

12 months

months

probably

suffice

Police

Perpetrators

5.2 A young person or adult

known as having perpetrated

an incident of domestic

violence or abuse in the last

12 months.

Significant &

sustained

improvement –

No further instances

of DV or abuse

reported against the

individual in 6

months.

SSDP

Early Help

Data –

DACs/Perpe

trator

Service/IDV

A etc.

Police

Y - Would require

needs and R/A at

time of

intervention and

after 3 months.

Needs discussion

re process.

Police

Y – Safer

Stronger

Doncaster

Partnership

5.3 The family has been

subject to a police call out in

the past 12 months

Significant &

sustained

improvement –

No further call outs

received to family

home reported

against the

individual in 6

months.

SSDP

Early Help

Police

6.

Parents and

children with a

range of health

problems

(Outcome :

Families have

improved health)

Borough Strategy

Theme 5:

Improving health

and support for

6.1 A child, or, an adult with

parental responsibilities, with

emotional well-being or

mental health issues

Significant &

sustained

improvement –

There is an active

plan in place and

there are no further

referrals for the

same or other

problems over a 6

month period.

HWB

Strategy

Early Help

RDaSH To be clarified To be locally

monitored

in Y1 until

strategy and

commissioni

ng plans in

place for

mental

health.

6.2 A child, or, an adult with

parenting responsibilities,

with drug, alcohol or

substance misuse issues

Significant &

sustained

improvement –

6 month attendance

in rehab and or

support with no

further known

instances of concern

HWB

Strategy

Early Help

Public

Health

DBHFT

31


Link to other plans



independent

lives.

6.3 The family improve their

health and wellbeing (basket

indicator based on ONS

wellbeing scores and to also

contain smoking, isolation,

GP/Dentist registration, and

other health priorities.)

Significant &

sustained

improvement –

Family health and

wellbeing improves

through

engagement with

services for at least

6 months

HWB

Strategy

Early Help

Family and

worker

assessed

using

Warwick

Edinburgh

scales.

N

6.4 An obese child or young

person in the family

TBC HWB

Strategy

Early Help

Public

Health /

school

nurses

TBC To be

monitored

locally until

programme

s of delivery

are re

tendered

and in place.

Outcomes Plan 2015 · 2019. 7. 20. · 3 Introduction The aim of the Stronger Families Programme is...

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