Here's an interesting piece from the Open Public Services website describing a family intervention model in Worcestershire. Below the short article you will find a link to a much longer piece on a larger scheme in the City of Westminster.
"What was the situation?
Worcestershire has pockets of deprivation and families with multiple problems and complex needs who are not coping. For some families, the patchwork of support and service silos was exacerbated by rural isolation and two tier local government and there was little prospect of breaking the cycle of multiple interventions.
Inspired by the Dundee Families Project, Mel Bailey from Vestia Community Trust set about building a partnership between Children’s Services, the Police and Worcestershire Housing Associations to establish a Worcestershire Family Intervention Project (WFIP).
Worcestershire has pockets of deprivation and families with multiple problems and complex needs who are not coping. For some families, the patchwork of support and service silos was exacerbated by rural isolation and two tier local government and there was little prospect of breaking the cycle of multiple interventions.
Inspired by the Dundee Families Project, Mel Bailey from Vestia Community Trust set about building a partnership between Children’s Services, the Police and Worcestershire Housing Associations to establish a Worcestershire Family Intervention Project (WFIP).
How does it work?
The WFIP has a pooled budget with contributions from Housing Associations, Supporting People and Worcestershire County Council. Project workers work intensively with a small caseload of families, over a prolonged period to help them transform their lives. Workers tasks are determined by the needs of each family and not their ‘service silo’ and they are recruited on their ability to do whatever it takes to help families turn their lives around
Staff work flexibly and are with the families when they need help the most; early mornings getting the household up and ready for school or evenings helping establish bed time routines. It is not the staff’s job to get the children up or put children to bed but to help the parents acquire the necessary skills
The WFIP has a pooled budget with contributions from Housing Associations, Supporting People and Worcestershire County Council. Project workers work intensively with a small caseload of families, over a prolonged period to help them transform their lives. Workers tasks are determined by the needs of each family and not their ‘service silo’ and they are recruited on their ability to do whatever it takes to help families turn their lives around
Staff work flexibly and are with the families when they need help the most; early mornings getting the household up and ready for school or evenings helping establish bed time routines. It is not the staff’s job to get the children up or put children to bed but to help the parents acquire the necessary skills
What were the results?
115 families across Worcestershire have been supported since 2009, and the scheme has generated estimated savings of £8 million (according to the DfE Negative Outcomes Costing Tool). Anti Social Behaviour has been reduced by 40% and those under threat of eviction have been reduced by 27%. 41% of cases have reported improved parenting as a result of the scheme and 36% have reported improved behaviour in school."
Also worth a read is a much longer report of a larger project in the City of Westminster, the Family Recovery programme that began in 2008 which, has some quite startling numbers concerning the savings and avoided costs from their programme. You can read it here:
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