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BRIDGEND COUNTY BOROUGH COUNCIL

REPORT TO CABINET

13 DECEMBER 2011

REPORT OF THE CORPORATE DIRECTOR - CHILDREN

FAMILIES TOGETHER: A FAMILY SUPPORT STRATEGY FOR BRIDGEND

1. Purpose of Report.

This report is to inform Cabinet of the result of the consultation on Families Together: a strategy for working with and supporting families in Bridgend County and to seek approval of the final version of the strategy.

2. Connection to Corporate Improvement Plan / Other Corporate Priority.

The subject of this report relates closely to and seeks to progress several objectives and priorities, and in particular:  Bright Future: Young Voices  Bright Future: Healthy Living  Bright Future: New Opportunities;  Bright Future: Strong Communities.

3. Background.

3.1Cabinet received a report in June 2011 on Integrating services, Family Support and the 4-5-6 Model. Approval was given to consult on the draft family support strategy, Families Together. This document is an essential element in a range of initiatives which will radically shift the way that services seek to meet the needs of children and young people and their families. The thread which works through this strategy, various Welsh Government initiatives and Bridgend’s Children and Young People’s Plan is one of providing a good level of support as a universal entitlement but identifying needs early and preventing them escalating to a level where they are harder to address and the resource needed has significantly increased. But the strategy is not just about what services can do. Families Together focuses on how each family can best help the children in its care to have their needs met and how services might support them in this endeavour. It sets out where we are now in Bridgend in terms of the needs of families (having listened to children and parents), the extent to which those needs are being met and the roles of different services. The document then describes where we ought to be by setting out clear ways in which Council and other services might help families in addressing the unmet needs. In some instances, it will mean maintaining or developing further a service and in others providing something new. Alongside this picture of support services, and how they might be accessed, the strategy emphasises the role that families themselves need to play.

3.2The development of Families Together was informed by Bridgend’s 4-5-6 Model and Integrated Working Framework but also by the Welsh Government’s pilots for supporting families with tier 3 (complex) and tier 4 (critical) needs, the Integrated Family Support Services (IFSS), not dissimilar to Bridgend’s Connecting Families

1 project. As from April 2012, the Welsh Government’s Families First programme will support more integrated services to meet lower tier needs at tier 2 (additional needs). The aim is to transform services so that they better meet the needs of children, young people and families living in poverty and help to reduce inequalities. The development of a whole family approach built around integrated services, providing holistic support to children, young people and families at every level of need is at the heart of Families First. The Families First programme aims to drive improvements to family support, its design and delivery, and in so doing, reduce the numbers of families developing more complex needs and thus requiring more intensive and costly interventions. The Bridgend strategy, Families Together, will drive the Families First agenda and also mesh with our Connecting Families project and eventually link with IFSS when that comes to Bridgend.

4. Current situation / proposal.

4.1 The consultation on the family support strategy invited interested parties to comment on the different sections of the strategy via a structured response form which also allowed open-ended comment. Responses were received from a range of agencies, both statutory and non-statutory.

4.2 A good majority of responses were favourable, endorsing the strategy’s aims, analysis of the current situation, assessment of what was needed to bring about change for the better and the priorities for action.

4.3 A number of amendments have been made to the strategy in the light of constructive comments made. These include:

 greater clarity on the target audience for the strategy; a summary version will be produced, once the full document is approved, to make it more accessible for young people and families;  recognition that not all children and young people can engage easily with their own families and that at times it is necessary for young people and parents to address issues separately, at least in the first instance;  bringing some of the terminology into line with Welsh Government terms e.g. Team around the Family rather than Team around the Child;  an explicit acknowledgement that where the responsibilities of children and young people are set out in Section D (How do we get there?) those responsibilities have to be appropriate to age and ability;  a commitment to review how the current arrangements for different panels which assess the needs of children and young people will relate to locality working;  an additional action point on child care;  some updated data based on the Welsh Index of Multiple Deprivation 2011 release.

4.4 These changes have been incorporated into the version of the strategy now presented for final approval by Cabinet.

4.5 The implementation of the strategy will depend on effective working between agencies, both statutory and non-statutory. The action plan in Section E is a strategic action plan from which lead and partner agencies will develop more

2 operational plans and Cabinet is asked to endorse this approach to collaborative working.

5. Effect upon Policy Framework and Procedure Rules.

There is no effect on policy framework or procedure rules.

6. Equality Impact Assessment

The strategy seeks ways to help meet the needs of all children, young people and their families, without discrimination. An initial equality impact assessment indicates that the research carried out to inform this strategy has been sufficiently broad to embrace the views and interests of a wide range of stakeholders. No equalities issues arose from the development work or consultation and there are no issues arising from the assessment.

7. Financial Implications.

There are implications for both the development and maintenance of services which will support the implementation of the strategy. Funding for the post of Principal Development Officer (Integrated Working) has been identified from within the Children’s Directorate’s resources by not filling a current vacancy. Three other development posts are being funded from Welsh Government grant which has been made available to non-pioneer Families First local authorities in 2011-12; these posts are part of the longer term strategic bid to Welsh Government for Families First funding from April 2012. The wider funding issues around integrated working and operating multi-agency community teams are dealt with in the Integrated Working Framework, section 15. Partners are being asked, at this stage, to endorse the principles and approaches to integrated working but not to commit resources operationally. These decisions will, however, need to be made by February 2012. The Children’s Directorate will also be considering how best to reconfigure service provision, and therefore budgets, to make best use of current resources and fulfil the aims of the family support strategy.

8. Recommendation.

Cabinet is recommended to approve the final form and content of the family support strategy, Families Together, and endorse the action plan as an agenda for collaborative working with partners in the strategy’s implementation.

Hilary Anthony

Corporate Director – Children

Date: December 13th 2011

Contact Officer: Trevor Guy Head of Strategy, Partnerships and Commissioning

Telephone: (01656) 642617

3 e-mail: [email protected]

Postal Address Children’s Directorate, Sunnyside, Bridgend CF31 4AR

Background documents

Children and Young People’s Plan 2011-2014

Families Together – a strategy for working with and supporting families in Bridgend County.

The 4-5-6 Model

The Integrated Working Framework

Cabinet report: INTEGRATING SERVICES, FAMILY SUPPORT AND THE 4-5-6 MODEL, 28TH JUNE 2011

4 Families Together

A strategy for working with and supporting families in Bridgend County

5 learn and achieve….

participate and enjoy….

give and receive respect….

be healthy….

be safe….

be confident and self-reliant….

6 Contents

A Introduction 4 A1: the purpose of the strategy 5 A2: what is meant by ….. 6 A3: the aims 9 A4: diversity statement 10

B: Where are we now? B1: Bridgend families - their stories and their needs 11 B2: recognising need – assessment and referral 15 B3: meeting needs and current services 16 B4: national and local plans and strategies 19

C: Where do we want to be? C1: shared values 20 C2: understanding needs 20 C3: recognition and referral 20 C4: support and empowerment 21 C5: positive outcomes 21

D: How do we get there? D1: meeting basic needs 22 D2: prevention and early intervention 23 D3: working together 24 D4: matching services to needs 25 D5: what services need to do 25 D6: commissioning to achieve the best outcomes 26 D7: resources to meet needs 27

E: Action Plan 28

F: Appendices

Case studies 38 Bridgend statistical context 40

7 8 Families Together: a support strategy

A. Introduction

A loving and supportive family environment, whatever form that family takes, is essential if any child is to thrive. There is no perfect family and no ideal model for a family but there are basic needs which have to be met for any child and the family has the first responsibility towards their children in respect of ensuring those needs are met. Public and voluntary services exist to support families in this major undertaking since very few families can meet all their children’s needs without help; schools and the health service are the most obvious examples of being reliant on good quality services. Different children, and different families, will require different levels of support depending upon their needs and circumstances. Difficulties which families encounter can, at times, be severe e.g. through illness, disability, low income levels, a breakdown in relationships and it is then that the services needed to support them become more specialised.

In many instances, by identifying a problem early, it is easier to ensure that the child does not suffer in the longer term. Better still, preventing problems arising in the first place through families being able to recognise potential difficulties and their causes and deal with them, means that services have greater capacity to deal with those family issues which require a substantial commitment of professionals’ time and resources. Therefore, the two principles of (i) prevention and (ii) early intervention are drivers of not only improved outcomes for children and young people and their families but also of making best use of limited resources.

Within Bridgend County, the services available to meet all children and young people’s basic needs i.e. universal services, are largely accessible and mostly of a good quality, though they still have the potential to improve further. Services to meet the more complex and critical needs are often effective, though real challenges still exist. In order to meet the major challenges presented by some very demanding families, the ‘Connecting Families’ project has been established to address their needs in a more coherent way by services working together far more closely. It is where there are lower level additional needs, perhaps in combination, e.g. moderate learning difficulties, poor behaviour, alcohol misuse, that more significant gaps in services have been identified. It is vital therefore that supportive action is taken to prevent such issues leading to children and their families being escalated to the higher tiers of need. The Welsh Government is promoting dedicated teams (Integrated Family Support Services) to support families with the most challenging needs at tiers 3 and 4, an initiative not dissimilar to Bridgend’s Connecting Families project.

In the new Child Poverty Strategy for Wales 2011 the Welsh Government has set out three strategic objectives: i. to reduce the number of families living in workless households; ii. to improve the skills of parents and young people living in low income households so they can secure well-paid employment; and iii. to reduce inequalities that exist in health, education and economic outcomes of children and families by improving the outcomes of the poorest.

Families First is the Welsh Government’s programme which is intended to help transform services so that they better meet the needs of children, young people and families living in poverty and help to reduce inequalities. The development of a whole family approach built around integrated services, providing holistic support to children, young people and families at every level of need is at the heart of Families First. The Families First programme aims to drive improvements to family support, its design and delivery, and in so doing, reduce the numbers of families developing more complex needs and thus requiring more intensive and costly interventions. Bridgend is ready to embrace this agenda of early intervention and prevention and this family support strategy , along with the Integrated Working Framework, set the direction for putting families first and working together with them to effect change for the better.

9 Supporting families can be complex and diverse in its range of activities. While this strategy document is targeted primarily at professionals and policy makers, it should be accessible to a much wider audience. To this end, a summary version will also be published so that all interested parties, especially children and young people and families, can continue to inform the development of services and offer their perspective on the effectiveness of support given.

A.1 The purpose of this strategy

This strategy focuses on how each family can best help the children in its care to have their needs met and how services might support them in this endeavour. It sets out where we are now in Bridgend in terms of the needs of families, the extent to which those needs are being met and the roles of different services. The document then seeks to describe where we ought to be by setting out clear ways in which Council and other services might help families in addressing the unmet needs. In some instances it will mean maintaining or developing further a service and in others providing something new. Alongside this picture of support services, and how they might be accessed, the strategy emphasises the role that families themselves need to play. The strategy must therefore be one to which most if not all families can subscribe and it is important to develop this sense of ownership amongst all partners.

The Families Together Strategy needs to be read in tandem with Bridgend’s 4-5-6 Model (see A2 pages 6 and 7) which describes the needs of children and young people, what their unmet needs look like and how, in basic terms, those needs can be met. There are also a number of strands, mainly found in related strategies, which deal with specific aspects of children and young people’s lives e.g. the Disabled Children’s strategy, the Education Inclusion strategy, the Emotional Wellbeing strategy and the Substance Misuse Action Plan.

Families Together provides a framework within which children can thrive as they grow and develop through the early years and on into adolescence and adulthood. Families, together with the support of more integrated services, should be enabled to offer the help their child needs at each stage of his or her development.

10 A.2 What is meant by …. ?

A family is a unit composed not only of children but of men, women, an occasional animal, and the common cold. (Ogden Nash)

family For the purposes of this strategy, a family is any grouping of adults and children which has a shared life and is interdependent, based on blood ties and/or commitments to a serious relationship.

The family is recognised as a basic unit of our society. It provides nurture, instruction, motivation, comfort, health, care and a myriad other benefits. It also has to be recognised that families are not perfect and these benefits are not enjoyed by everyone. Family life can be stressful at times and economic, health or other difficulties can sometimes place severe strains on family relationships. To be born into a caring and supportive family is, in Bridgend’s Children and Young People’s Plan, an essential element to achieving “a flying start to life”. In a secure family, children will be more likely to reach their social, physical, emotional, cultural and learning potential through having their needs met. What or who makes up a family can vary hugely.

parenting Just as there is no such thing as the perfect family, so there is no one way of bringing up children which will guarantee that they thrive and make the best of their talents. Rather than “good” parenting, we should think in terms of “good enough” parenting. All parents/carers make some mistakes in raising their children i.e. it is rarely or never the case that parents/carers always know what is best for their children. Accepting that this is so, “good enough” parenting should mean that a parent provides the emotional security for his or her child which makes them feel loved, wanted and valued. Providing for the child’s basic needs is an important part of this i.e. the child is clean, well fed, properly clothed and kept safe and healthy. Just as importantly, “good enough” parenting also involves teaching the child how to develop social skills and how to be open to learning. It is also about knowing when and how to let go so that the young person is prepared for independence. Raising a child is the greatest responsibility most people will take on in life and is extremely demanding, yet there is no formal training for it and, for many, there is a taboo about asking for help. When parenting is “not good enough” it may well be that the child will not learn what “good enough” parenting is and so starts a negative cycle running down through the generations.

support Everyone, at different times in their lives, needs support from others . This can be from your own family, friends or people in the communities in which you live and work. Often this sort of support is informal and ad hoc. It can take many forms – emotional support, practical advice, help with carrying out physical tasks etc. More formal support will come when a person identifies that they have an unmet need and seeks professional help or that need is identified by someone else e.g. a parent or a professional such as a health visitor or social worker or teacher. Support in this context usually means the giving of someone’s time and expertise, along with physical resources in some cases, which will help to address the unmet needs. An essential principle in the provision of much support is to help the individual in need to become more confident and self-reliant and equipped to manage his or her own needs. It needs to be recognised that there are occasions when some young people

11 will want to seek support independently of their family and the nature of the advice and support has to take account of this wish for confidentiality. strategy This document points the way towards how the needs of children and young people might be best met. It is about having clarity on the values and principles which inform and underpin any actions which are taken to support families in need. It is also about being clear on what is and is not possible and desirable. No strategy can satisfy everyone so while the aims may be the goal everyone wishes to achieve, the strategy is also rooted in the reality that each family is different and what works for one will not necessarily work for others. outcomes An outcome describes a condition of wellbeing. It is the end result of a set of actions. In the context of children and young people, an outcome should always be expressed in terms of change for the better in the life of the child. The 6 outcomes that it is hoped everyone would want to see, and which are at the heart of the Children and Young People’s Plan for 2011- 2014, are that all children and young people will: 1. learn and achieve 2. participate and enjoy 3. give and receive respect 4. be healthy 5. be safe 6. be confident and self-reliant

The 4 tiers of needs, 5 dimensions of need (see below) and the 6 outcomes are the basis upon which the 4-5-6 model has been developed. needs A need is a condition which is marked by the lack of something which is necessary for a person to thrive. In other words, needs are essentials which have to be in place, not luxuries for living. Once basic needs are recognised, it is helpful to think of a tiered model of children’s needs which services are then geared to meet. Needs are described as being at one of 4 levels or tiers and these are defined as :

Tier Generic level of need

1. Basic needs Basic needs are being met and the child has no identified additional needs. The 6 outcomes for the child are good and he/she should continue to thrive. 2. Additional Up to two basic needs are not being met to the extent that one or more needs of the 6 outcomes for the child is less than satisfactory. All outcomes could be achieved with support, which would be temporary. 3. Complex Several basic needs are not being met so that the child’s progress needs against most of the 6 outcomes is unsatisfactory. He/she will be dependent upon support in the medium to longer term. 4. Critical Several basic needs are not being met leading to profound and needs enduring difficulties for the child which mean that he/she is already failing, or is at high risk of failing, to achieve most or all of the 6 outcomes.

Needs can be broken down into 5 dimensions:

12 . social (relationships with close and extended family, peers, other children and adults, norms of behaviour); . physical (health, nutrition, weight, exercise and attitude); . emotional (self confidence, self esteem, resilience and mental health); . cultural (identity through recognition of ethnic, linguistic, religious and cultural factors in a young person’s life); . learning (the development of mental and practical skills and attributes).

The framework therefore identifies at Tier 1, a basic level of universal needs which will be required by all children (health, education, leisure and so on). Tier 2 addresses those needs present at the basic and universal level, plus some additional needs, often of a temporary or infrequently recurring nature, or requiring a relatively low level of support or intervention to be met. These needs will sometimes be the early signs of difficulties arising, and if addressed at this stage may prevent escalation to the next level where a more sustained, intensive and specialised intervention is needed. At Tier 3, children have more complex needs, sometimes of a more prolonged as well as more severe nature, and professional specialist support will be needed if the family is to meet these needs. Tier 4 concerns needs which can be met only through intensive support for the children affected, possibly within specialist social and educational care or residential settings.

The needs which apply to children and young people can, of course, also apply to whole families or the parents/carers in the family. Where the adults have particular unmet needs, e.g. resulting from a learning or physical disability, long-term health issue or low income, it can be the case that their children’s needs are not fully met. poverty A family in poverty means that children and young people may not have their needs adequately met. While there are many technical definitions of poverty, for the purposes of this strategy, poverty is being unable to afford to meet basic needs. The Welsh Government is rightly advocating the reduction of child poverty as a main priority. Creating a better economic climate within which families can raise their income levels is beyond the scope of this strategy but it is important that this strategy tries to reduce the negative effects of poverty on the child. The first and sixth outcomes, “learn and achieve” and “be confident and self-reliant”, must be central to the task of families, including their children, moving from a state of poverty to one of greater economic independence. interventions When needs are not being met and outcomes are not being achieved, it is necessary to change something to bring about improvement for the child or young person and her or his family. An intervention is an agent for change and this can be one or more of:  a person such as a family member who is supported by others;  a professional with particular expertise;  a ‘Team around the Family’ which offers a range of support by agencies working together and co-ordinated by a key worker;  different or additional resources such as technology might offer;  an event, such as a parenting course which a parent chooses to attend;  a change of environment, such as a move to a different school.

Any intervention has to be based on evidence to ensure that it is appropriate to meet the real needs of the individual or family.

13 A.3 The aims

There is wide agreement in Bridgend that we want all our children and young people to:  thrive and make the best of their talents;  live healthy and safe lives;  be confident and caring individuals throughout their lives;  know and receive their rights.

This vision is shared by many of those who work with and on behalf of the families who have responsibility for children and young people in the county of Bridgend. The children and young people themselves also aspire to this vision of what their lives can and should be. Many services exist to help children and young people, parents/carers and the wider family fulfil this vision and they have come together to express, in the Children and Young People’s Plan, how this vision might be realised.

To achieve these aims, the three partners - the young person, his or her family and the support services – must each understand that they have a responsibility to put the interests of the child or young person first. This is not the same as saying that the child’s wishes will always be met, but that his or her views are respected and taken account of when any decisions are made which affect his or her life. The broad aims expressed in the vision are set out more specifically in the six outcomes for children and young people already described. It is these which provide the touchstone for deciding whether or not a child’s best interests are being served.

If these outcomes are achieved, their different needs – social, physical, emotional, cultural and learning – will have been met. Not all children and young people will have the benefits of good health, a secure and supportive family, the necessary personal and social skills or other attributes which will enable them to achieve the six outcomes above. To achieve this vision, we need to make families stronger by helping those who need extra support, especially those with complex or critical needs and those at risk of social, educational or economic exclusion. In promoting the well-being of families, we must help prevent difficulties and provide continuing support in the community. We need to develop services that will address parental difficulties and family breakdown and bring about change for the better in the lives of the children living in those families.

A.4 Diversity statement

Bridgend County Borough Council is committed to promoting equality and valuing diversity through our roles as community leader, service provider and employer. It is critical that equality is integrated into our service delivery arrangements and underpin all aspects of our work. We have made a commitment to make progress toward achieving the WLGA Equality Improvement Framework to ensure that we are meeting our equality duties.

This requires us to be:

F Friendly, approachable and professional A Accessible to the whole community I Inclusive of the diverse community we serve R Respectful of people’s differences

We know that being ‘fair’ does not simply mean treating everyone the same. It means understanding and tackling the different barriers that people face so that everyone has a fair chance to fulfill their potential. We want to create opportunities for communities to live, work and learn together by reaching out and engaging with all of our citizens.

14 We know that being ‘fair’ means that we embrace the diversity of our county and challenge discrimination wherever it exists in our communities, whether it is based on a person’s gender, race, disability, faith, sexual orientation, age or social status. We want to make our services accessible and responsive to the diverse needs of the people who live in, work in and visit the county borough.

15 B. Where are we now?

It is easier to become a parent than to be one.(Anon)

B.1 Bridgend families – their stories and their needs

Ceri is a single parent with a 3 year old daughter, Bethan. Although Bethan’s father is in contact with the family, and sees his daughter every third weekend, relationships are poor. There is a history of domestic abuse, witnessed by the child.

Bethan attends playgroup, and Ceri has taken the opportunity to attend an eight session child development programme on Handling Children’s Behaviour. With the playgroup staff, she has identified a possible speech and language delay and is asking for help with eating difficulties and with setting boundaries to manage Bethan’s behaviour.

With referrals to other services made, and the parenting course completed, Ceri is more confident in her own ability to modify Bethan’s poor behaviour. Although relationships with the parents are still poor, more information is being exchanged between them. Support will continue, is being well received, and both Bethan and Ceri are making progress.

The families that services work with and support vary greatly in their needs and in their strengths. A collection of case studies, of which Ceri and Bethan’s story is one, provided as an appendix to this strategy, illustrates this variety. These are real examples of Bridgend families whose moderately high needs are supported by a number of services, not exclusively children’s social services. They are not comprehensive examples of all needs, but demonstrate the range of needs for which families may, at some time in their histories, need help, advice or practical support.

The case studies display a number of common factors including :  depression, often being treated through medication;  neglect, with parents unable to meet the child(ren)’s physical and/or emotional needs;  an inability to manage children’s behaviour;  debt, or an inability to budget;  neighbour disputes;  domestic abuse.

Typical stories told by families and professionals tell us that needs can be many, diverse and change over time. Research shows that problems experienced by parents, such as social difficulties, substance misuse, mental illness and learning difficulties, make parenting even more difficult. It is not necessarily the more acute problems which can cause children to fail to thrive. New parents may not automatically develop good parenting skills. Parents experiencing health problems may not be able to care adequately for their children.

Studies from other parts of Wales show similar concerns to those expressed by Bridgend parents/carers. Asked about what they found difficult and needed support on, their responses included : . managing the behaviour of their children; . ensuring their children were safe;

16 . affording the basics for their children; . having reliable childcare so they could go out to work; . feeling they were on their own; . keeping children occupied doing worthwhile things; . helping with homework; . managing serious problems in the family; . sorting out problems at school; . managing children with disabilities.

Children and young people, as well as parents and carers, have also described their needs through participation programmes when developing other strategies and action plans, and through feedback from existing services. School-age children and young people have identified the quality of family relationships and the break-up of families as strong factors in whether or not they would be able to develop good emotional health. A subsequent priority in the Emotional Wellbeing Strategy’s Action Plan is the provision of effective support for the development of good mental health within families.

This is echoed within the Disabled Children and Young People’s Strategy, where there is acknowledgement that the families of children and young people with additional, complex or critical needs are subject to more stresses and demands than other families. This includes fathers as well as mothers, and also siblings. They are all likely to require help of some sort at some time if improvements in young lives are to be effected. For disabled children and young people themselves, access to integrated youth services and activities is a high priority, and for parents and carers, this was seen as an important element of respite, a crucial service for their own wellbeing.

Bridgend’s Child and Youth Counselling services work with many troubled young people who have family related issues. Presenting issues may be broad such as “general relationships” but specifics such as “domestic abuse” also feature often; other concerns include “financial”, “abuse”, “behaviour related”, and “bereavement”, most being family related.

A consultation with young people who had been in residential care in Bridgend took place as part of a review of our residential provision. They identified disruptions to their education, leading to refusal to engage and exclusion, and their challenging behaviour as contributing to becoming looked after. They indicated that being listened to, being prepared well for independence and not being placed too far from home were key factors for improving their sense of stability, safety and security.

Research from outside Bridgend reinforces the feelings expressed by local children and young people, in identifying a range of issues which prevent their needs being addressed : . breakdown in relationships between parents; . breakdown in relationships between children and parent(s); . not enough money; . feeling unsafe; . not having friends; . abuse in the family; . too many different agencies trying to help - no-one really knows them; . parent(s) with mental/emotional problems; . parent(s) who misuse alcohol and/or drugs; . own low self-esteem; . can’t behave at school; . non-attendance at school.

17 For families with complex or critical needs, there may be a mix of factors affecting their ability to sustain themselves as a cohesive, supportive family unit. The Connecting Families programme considered a range of 17 factors identified through research as being associated with higher level needs. These included factors associated with education, health (including mental health), offending behaviour, housing, and risks associated with child and adult protection. Of 46 families, known to services, whose needs were assessed against these seventeen factors, all families had five or more factors contributing to the difficulties they were experiencing. This illustrates well both the complexities of assessing families’ needs and the necessity to share information across and within agencies.

In the Children and Young People’s Plan 2011-14, needs are identified as well as indicators which show how far those needs are being met. The most pertinent relating to this strategy are to be found under:  Core Aim 1 (a flying start to life) which includes birth weights, breast feeding and teenage conceptions as indicators;  Core Aim 3 (health and freedom from abuse) which includes alcohol misuse and neglect and abuse entries on the child protection register as indicators;  Core Aim 6 (a safe home and community) which includes homelessness, domestic violence and substance misuse as indicators;  Core Aim 7 (not to be disadvantaged by poverty) which includes families in workless households, adults lacking qualifications and secure housing tenure as indicators.

The needs of children and young people and their families have to be set in context. The most recent statistical information comes mainly from 2008 and 2009 data. It shows that of Bridgend’s 135,000 population, nearly 20% are under 16 years of age. There is a lower percentage of young people from ethnic minorities in Bridgend when compared to the Welsh average and the number able to speak Welsh is much lower. One in five of school age children and young people are entitled to free school meals, slightly higher than the Welsh average, as is the number of children living in workless households. The latest figure for the number of young people not in education, employment or training (NEETs) in Bridgend, is worse than the Welsh average. Bridgend historically has had more children looked after and on the child protection register than would be expected for an authority of its size. On other indicators e.g. teenage conceptions, Bridgend is close to the Welsh average.

Bridgend areas of economic, social and educational disadvantage

18

19 B.2 Recognising need - assessment and referral

Whatever the issues, a very clear and detailed understanding of the specific needs of each individual family is required. It is only then that well-designed interventions, based on the evidence presented by the families, can start to meet those needs. At present, needs come to the attention of service providers in a number of ways, some more formal than others. Self-referral by a child or young person or other family member should always be one way of needs coming to the attention of service providers, and consideration should also be given to enabling friends, neighbours and other members of the local community to bring forward concerns. Referrals by a range of professionals are often the more usual way for children, young people and family needs to be identified and acknowledged. A child or young person or the family may be referred for support by: - health agencies, including the GP, a health visitor, Accident and Emergency; - the police; - the school; - a voluntary agency, such as Childline or the NSPCC Helpline, or a local youth service; - voluntary sector social care organisations, such as CAB, Samaritans or church agencies; - local authority services, such as Housing, Social Services, the Education Welfare Service, the Youth Service, or Family Information Service; - neighbourhood based programmes, like Communities First, Flying Start or Family Centres.

Ensuring that referrals are made to the right service, and that the right needs are recognised and addressed may not happen automatically. Agencies which refer on to others require the skills or knowledge to recognise or assess the full range of needs of a child. Information recorded about a child and his/her needs should be routinely shared with other agencies, where it is relevant and appropriate to do so, speedily and in the right form. A review of the mechanisms and protocols currently in place and the means to achieve much better sharing of information are an essential element of this strategy.

Families often report that they do not know where to go for information or help with problems. While for some this may mask a lack of resolve to tackle a problem or an unwillingness to accept that there is a problem, for many there is no obvious reference point for them to begin their search for support. This issue is particularly prevalent in areas of social and economic deprivation. Bridgend’s Integrated Children’s Centre, the Family Information Service and Just@sk can signpost to appropriate services, and there is a geographically limited service available through Action for Children’s Brackla Family Centre and through the three Flying Start programmes.

Using a tiered approach to identifying needs helps to structure assessment of need, and should be the basis of a common assessment which can be understood and used by a range of service providers. The 4-5-6 model provides such a framework within which different services can operate and reach a shared understanding of need and use the same language with children, young people, families and each other. By working in this more integrated way, it will be possible to gain a much better view of the whole child, rather than just recognising needs in isolation. Using a broad, generic model to record and share basic information should not be to the detriment of the more specific assessments carried out by professionals within their own sphere of expertise. B.3 Meeting needs and current services

Basic and additional needs (Tiers 1 and 2) are evident at some time in all the population, and are best met locally within core and mainstream services. Complex (Tier 3) needs require more specialised approaches, and services usually become available to children and families at this point. The level of support intensifies if Tier 4 (critical needs) is triggered. It is at Tier 2 and the borderline between Tiers 1 and 2 and between Tiers 2 and 3, that there is a perceived and actual gap so that needs, too often, either go unrecognised or, if they are recognised, do not always attract the right

20 type or level of support to prevent them escalating further. Bridgend is not unique in identifying this problem.

This is not to say that there are not services which work at Tiers 1 and 2 with real success e.g. health visitors, the schools’ counselling service, Flying Start, parenting programmes delivered by the third sector. However, the needs identified are not always addressed consistently or systematically across the county because the services are not universally available; in some cases this is due to grant funding being targeted at only certain areas. It would be possible, though, for some successful aspects of these targeted programmes to be more widely accessible by better collaboration between core and commissioned service providers and reconsidering priorities for the use of resources.

The sorts of services parents/carers say they would like to have so that the needs of the family might be met include:

. easy access to information – many do not know where and how to get help; . activities for children and teenagers; . centres for children and families; . advice or courses on managing children’s behaviour; . a link person between home and school; . access to childminders; . family learning; . advice on money matters; . advice on housing; . advice or courses on living with teenagers; . mental health services; . health visiting; . volunteer help in the home; . social services; . respite care, especially for children and young people with autism.

The sorts of services children and young people say they would like to have so that the needs of the family might be met include:

. people who listen; . people who help them and their families sort out their own problems; . people who help the family stay together or, if that is not possible, keep the family in touch with each other; . support for young carers.

21 We know that there are some very good services, some gaps in provision, and that there are some services which could be developed further or reconfigured to meet needs better.

Flying Start is an example of an effective service which works well on a multi-agency basis to support families in need. Early evidence indicates that a range of services specifically providing for tier 2 needs (additional) can be effective. These tier 2 needs are best met by services which build on the early identification of emerging problems and approaches which prevent escalation to more specialist services. In this example, health visitors, operating as a universal service, are critical in identifying those families who have some additional needs and require at least tier 2 services. Supporting parents in disadvantaged circumstances to access mainstream health services has been shown to increase attendance at appointments and so reduce the danger of children being removed from health service treatment lists.

If services to meet tier 3 needs are not available (e.g. one to one support for the acquisition of parenting skills), referrers such as Health Visitors or Social Workers may have to depend on tier 2 services which are inappropriate to meet their clients’ needs. This increases the risk of services failing to deliver satisfactory outcomes whilst also moving families with tier 2 needs onto waiting lists for these same services. In a number of cases where children become looked after, their chances of staying in their own families may have been increased if there had been earlier intervention to support the family. Therefore, strategic planning or commissioning to provide a range of services across all tiers of need becomes an imperative.

There is a wide range of services currently available and these are now mapped to record the type of service provided, the dimensions and tiers of need they address and the target audience for those services. Accurate information on the availability of services must be readily accessible to those who are working with families and to the families themselves. The Family Information Service (FIS) will play an increasingly important role in developing this information and acting as a signposting service.

There are fundamental questions to be asked about the services, statutory and non-statutory, currently available: i. Are they the right services to meet the needs identified? ii. Are they readily accessible to the children, young people and their families when they need the service? iii. Are they efficient, providing good value for money? iv. Do they bring about the right outcomes for the children, young people and their families? The quality of services must be such that the child, young person and parent or carer have their needs met. All services must have effective self-evaluation systems in place which take full account of the perspective of the service user. Statutory services will also have their own forms of internal monitoring and external regulation. Commissioned services should be subject to rigorous monitoring by the commissioner, again involving an element of service user input.

This strategy is not the vehicle for listing all the current services; they will be found in the Bridgend Services Directory. It is appropriate, however, for services to consider what their core purpose is and how it helps to achieve the 6 outcomes and fits with the 5 dimensions of need and the 4 tiers within each dimension. In this way, the four fundamental questions above have a better chance of being answered and families have a better chance of receiving the right type of support at the right time.

One service can address more than one dimension of need but the table below offers some examples of matching services to needs

22 Dimension of need Examples of current services Social needs Flying Start, Youth Service, Action for Children, Safeguarding and Family Support service Physical needs Health visiting, Disabled Children’s Team, GP services, Llamau Emotional needs Youth Counselling, Educational Psychology Service, Primary Mental Health Team, Samaritans Cultural needs Sports clubs, Clybiau Plant Cymru, Valley and Vale Community Arts Learning needs Schools, Adult Learning, Way Forward project, TAPPAS project

Programmes based within specific communities, such as On Track or Flying Start, have identified broader lower level needs where short term support can prevent escalation of problems. The services which make up the Flying Start programme (children’s social services, Action for Children childcare and parenting, midwifery and health visiting, as examples) include parenting support provided in groups, often alongside childcare, dealing with children’s behaviour and development. As well as developing skills and knowledge, these sessions also build confidence in parents to be able to access support, seek solutions, or even make friends. Accessing health and other care is another key area, with experience in Flying Start demonstrating that consistent personal reminders can dramatically increase parents’ ability to attend appointments with their children. Parents and carers have responded well to the mix of support available in Flying Start, and to the context of a universal entitlement in which it is delivered. The role of Health Visitors working with other social care and health staff to encourage take up of the services by those parents/carers and their children most likely to benefit has also been crucial. Feedback from parents/carers demonstrates their appreciation of the value of the provision for their children, and also for themselves. This appreciation of family focussed, needs-led approaches to support is echoed by other partners, e.g. Action for Children, who provide higher tier parenting support as well as the Flying Start childcare and parenting.

Childcare, formal or informal, is a key service for parents/carers and for children. Availability of childcare is variable across the County Borough, being most difficult to sustain in the more disadvantaged areas. The Childcare Sufficiency Audit, which local authorities are required to carry out every three years and up-date annually, provides a good picture of availability of formal childcare. Informal childcare should also not be forgotten. Research by the Grandparents Plus charity carried out in 2009 estimated that the UK's 14 million grandparents are supporting families by providing childcare worth £3.9bn every year.

Keyworking, the availability of a dedicated professional to offer support and guidance to the family, has been identified as an important aspect for families of disabled children and young people. This approach to supporting families needs to be extended further and will be incorporated into the Multi-agency Community team working practices where a family would benefit from having a keyworker who would co-ordinate support from different services and be the main point of contact for the family.

A quality mark, Investors in Families, is available to schools and where this has been taken up, and the process followed through to completion, positive gains have been seen in support for families and in relationships between schools and families.

B.4 National and local plans and strategies

Providing support to families in need has been and continues to be a focus for national and local action across Wales. Most recently, the Child Poverty Strategy for Wales (2010) has emphasised the

23 need for support which is focussed on the identified needs of individual children and their families, delivered in an integrated, seamless way. The Welsh Government’s emerging Families First programme will develop a framework within which this support can be offered. This legislation, and the anticipated further guidance, is the latest part of a longer term programme stemming from an acceptance of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. A number of national and local strategies, plans and guidance, and commissioning, have followed, including :  UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.  Welsh Government ‘s 7 Core Aims for children and young people  Children Act 2004  Children and Young People: Rights to Action - Safeguarding Children: Working Together under the Children Act 2004  Fulfilled Lives, Supportive Communities: A strategy for social services over the next decade. WAG 2007  National Service Framework for children, young people and maternity services (2006)  The National Homelessness Strategy for Wales November 2005  Child Poverty Strategy for Wales (2010)  Children and Families Measure 2010  Welsh Government’s Setting the Direction 2010 (shaping primary health care and community health services in Wales)  BCBC Inclusion Strategy  BCBC Commissioning Strategy for children and young people  BCBC 4-5-6 Model (4 tiers of need, 5 dimensions of need, 6 outcomes) 2011  Bridgend County Children and Young People’s Plan 2011-14  Bridgend County Health, Social Care and Wellbeing Plan 2011-14  Bridgend County Integrated Working Framework 2011  Bridgend Disabled Children and Young People’s Strategy and Action Plan 2010  Bridgend Emotional Wellbeing Strategy 2010

All of the above contribute to thinking and practice at a local level. Working with and supporting families can be both a difficult and a rewarding enterprise. Without a clear and coherent national, regional and local framework for policy making, such an enterprise cannot succeed in the longer term.

24 C. Where do we want to be?

Govern a family as you would cook a small fish -- very gently. (Chinese proverb)

C.1 Shared values

In striving to help families, we value:

- what children and young people and their families tell us about their needs and what they think might help them; - the contribution that families can make themselves to bringing about change for the better; - treating all children and young people and their families with respect and understanding; - the right of children and young people and their families to be treated fairly, irrespective of age, race, religion, social class, sex, disability, gender orientation; - an inclusive approach to working with children and young people so that any barriers to involvement, whether perceived or real, can be identified and removed, so that no-one is left out; - the expertise and professionalism of colleagues from different sectors and disciplines.

C.2 Understanding of need

In order to ensure that we have sound intelligence on the needs of children and young people and their families, we have to:

- involve children and young people in a dialogue about their needs; - work with families to help them as users of services to understand the exact nature and magnitude of need; - work with the providers of services to identify needs and the best means of meeting those needs; - use a common language to describe needs; - understand the level or tier of need which a child or young person, or their family, has and that this level of need may change over time; - appreciate how different needs can be found together and that failing to satisfy one need can adversely affect other dimensions of a person’s life; - agree protocols so that we can record the needs of individuals and families in a useful, non- bureaucratic way which enables intelligence to be shared and the best outcomes for the users to be achieved.

C.3 Recognition and referral

In order to be able to recognise the causal factors which create need and to refer children and young people and their families to the best sources of support, we need to:

- have a well-trained workforce which not only has specialist skills but can work as part of a team; - make it clear what the thresholds are for accessing services at each tier of need; - make early identification of need a priority and intervene early to prevent problems getting worse; - have in place a system for speedy assessment and referral which takes account of the whole child; 25 - ensure professionals take responsibility where possible and only refer cases on through a key worker or lead professional who knows the family well and will ensure that actions are followed through; - ensure we have a range of specialist support services to identify and meet the complex needs of disabled children and young people.

C.4 Support and Empowerment

In order to help families to manage their own issues in the longer term, we need to:

- help families to develop skills for life, in particular good parenting skills; - offer choices to families in need so that a programme of support is suited to their circumstances; - make clear that support is as much about building confidence and self-reliance as it is about providing tangible benefits; - work with other agencies to help families alleviate the effects of poverty and achieve greater economic independence e.g. basic skills training, debt counselling; - allocate a key worker or lead professional to a family where the needs are many and complex; - gain families’ consent on sharing information and offer access to records and plans as part of the shared solution to issues.

C.5 Positive Outcomes

In order to ensure that the outcomes for children and young people and their families are good, we need to:

- establish, once the needs have been identified, what outcome measures are most useful and focus, with the children and young people and their families, on how those outcomes are best achieved; - define outcomes in terms of beneficial change for the child and family; - demonstrate and map out small steps as the means to significantly better outcomes; - monitor and record progress; - celebrate successes, however small.

D. How do we get there?

In some families, please is described as the magic word. In our house, however, it was sorry. (Margaret Laurence)

Section C, ‘Where do we want to be?’, sets out in very broad terms the aspirational journey which services and the families they work with need to take because achieving positive outcomes for all is a process not an end point. This section, ‘How do we get there?’, seeks to map the path that needs to be followed. It involves actions which children and young people and families need to commit to and services must carry out. Families, together with different services, share the responsibility to

26 make any improvement plan work if the needs of the child/young person are to be met. As a Council strategy, these responsibilities will be taken up initially by the relevant Council services and their partners in Health, the Police and the voluntary sector.

A key which will open up the way to improved outcomes for families is more effective working between agencies. Multi-agency working brings together practitioners from different sectors and professions within the workforce to provide integrated support to children, young people and families, for example a ‘team around the family’. Multi-agency community (MAC) teams are planned to operate in each of Bridgend County’s 3 localities. Working out of a service hub for the locality the teams will be placed closer to the communities that they serve, which will better enable them to bring together a range of services, usually under one roof. Practitioners then work in a multi-agency way to deliver integrated support to children, young people and families.

When following through on the various actions, all parties, the services, child and family have a part to play. The Action Plan in Section E picks up the 7 areas of work set out below and translates them into a summary plan for action.

D.1 Meeting basic needs

In the sections below which refer to child/young person’s responsibilities, it is understood that those responsibilities could only be exercised in the context of the age and ability of the child or young person .

Service responsibilities Child / young person Parent/Carer responsibilities responsibilities a. listen to and involve f. contribute to decisions k. strive to meet children and young people; which affect their lives; the basic needs of their b. listen to and involve g. consider the views of their children when they have parents/carers; parents/carers; the means to do so; c. provide a single source of h. take seriously their l. listen to their information for potential role as future children; parents/carers on support parents; m. consider the that is available to them to i. make the most of their benefit that the advice and meet basic needs; talents; support available on d. provide an introduction to j. seek help when necessary; parenting might offer. parenting as an entitlement for all (and in schools); e. provide general parenting advice and support through local networks;

D.2 Prevention and early intervention

Service responsibilities Child / young person Parent/Carer responsibilities responsibilities a. provide a single source of f. bring problems to the g. seek information on how information for attention of a parent/carer to deal with problems at parents/carers on support or other responsible adult an early stage; that is available to them at an early stage; h. contribute to the

27 when things start to go completion of the wrong; common assessment b. share information at an record when appropriate; early stage, using a i. if convened, attend a common assessment to give Team Around the Family a view of the whole child meeting; and his/her needs and what j. discuss possible courses is being done to support the of action with a support child; worker to agree a way c. train those who work with forward. children and young people and their families to recognise types and tiers of need; d. develop the skills of the workforce so they can address problems early before they become complex and require specialist help; e. map clear routes for referring children and young people and their families to sources of specialist help when it is required;

D.3 Working together

Service responsibilities Child / young person Parent/Carer responsibilities responsibilities a. map the strategies which h. meet with support workers j. meet with support workers seek to support children as necessary in the nearest as necessary in the nearest and young people and hub or satellite base; hub or satellite base; their families and bring i. work with the multi- k. work with the MAC team to coherence to them; agency community team to find answers to problems; b. agree ways of integrated find answers to problems; l. contribute to the working within BCBC development of a full and across other partner picture of their child’s agencies; needs and help track c. establish areas across progress in meeting those Bridgend County within needs. which integrated working practices can evolve; d. take services closer to where the needs are through developing a series of community hubs in each locality, with satellite provision as necessary;

28 e. establish multi-agency community teams which put the needs of the child and family first; f. develop Connecting Families as an integrated service to meet the needs of the most challenging families; g. share information effectively, protecting confidentiality but without compromising the ability of services to have a full picture of a child’s needs and how they contribute to improving outcomes for him/her;

D.4 Matching services to needs

Service responsibilities Child / young person Parent/Carer responsibilities responsibilities a. increase advice and support f. engage with parents/ carers i. seek advice and support to parents/carers on and support workers in before or when behaviour managing behaviour; finding solutions to issues arise; b. provide more activities for problems; j. encourage their children young people and g. express views on activities to take part in appropriate encourage and support they would like to be activities; others to provide such available to them; k. work with the key worker activities; h. contribute to reviews of in arranging any c. provide more intensive their and their family’s necessary assessments parenting support at an progress; and follow-up support; early stage; l. give time for the MAC d. allocate a key worker or teams and the community lead professional to a hubs to work effectively family to co-ordinate, with with them and their the family, the range of children. services which are required to meet the needs; e. bring services closer to the communities where they are required and develop multi-agency hubs which are viewed positively and stigma free;

D.5 What services need to do

29 Service responsibilities Child / young person Parent/Carer responsibilities responsibilities a. liaise closely with other d. let support workers know e. let support workers know agencies to maximise if the help being provided if the help being provided resources and give the is inappropriate or not is inappropriate or not best and most efficient working; working; support to individuals and f. keep the key worker their families; informed of any changes b. extend the range of skills in the family of their workforce so they circumstances so the don’t deal with unmet common assessment needs in isolation; record can be updated c. be prepared to give up some autonomy to provide truly integrated support to families on a multi-agency basis.

D.6 Commissioning to achieve the best outcomes

Service responsibilities Child / young person Parent/Carer responsibilities responsibilities a. agree on and apply a f. respond when requests are g. respond when requests are standardised approach made to find out what made to find out what across services to services they need and services they need and commissioning which how good current services how good current services focuses on better are; are; outcomes for children and young people and their families; b. engage users of services in the commissioning process at an early stage; c. engage providers of services in the commissioning process at an early stage; d. commission services jointly wherever possible; e. evaluate the success of commissioning against outcome measures and use hard evidence in making decisions to maintain, revise or decommission a service;

30 D.7 Resources to meet needs

Service responsibilities Child / young person Parent/Carer responsibilities responsibilities a. bring together sources of d. consider what resources the funding to achieve best family can offer to help value for money e.g. by meet their own needs (e.g. pooling or aligning time, home improvements, budgets; dietary change); b. invest sufficiently in preventing needs from reaching the higher tiers; c. engage families themselves as a resource, supporting others where possible;

31 E. Action Plan (2011-14)

The plan below is a strategic action plan from which lead and partner agencies will develop more operational plans. Timescales, therefore, may be subject to change.

E1: Meeting basic needs

Action Outcome and performance measures Steps and timing Lead agency/person 1. Listen to and involve Children and young people report they  Increase participation of young people identified as CYPP children and young are active partners in finding solutions “disengaged” as per CYP Plan (September 2012); people and are motivated to help themselves  Increase the participation of Looked After Children and others in decisions about their own futures (March 2012);  Improve access to an advocacy service for children and young people (February 2012). 2. Listen to and involve Parents/carers who are caring and  Establish channels for parents/carers to engage CYPP to co-ordinate parents/carers in supportive of their children. with and help shape services (December relevant agencies e.g. determining their Numbers of parents/carers taking 2011). Safeguarding and needs and involving advantage of ante and post-natal  Document and communicate service Family Support; them in determining support, parenting support and commitment to parent/carer involvement in Flying Start. the solutions engagement with safeguarding services, decision-making (April 2012) early years settings and schools. 3. Develop the Family Higher usage of signposted services;  Development of technological solutions (Sept FIS (Business Information Service 2012); Strategy and Support) as a single reference Improved take-up of child care.  Devise method of collating data re: service point, accessible uptake and how the service user has been through a wide range informed of the service (Sept 2012) of outlets 4. Offer parents/carers a Parents/carers receive sound  Service profile available and readily accessible CYPP

32 basic entitlement to information and/or advice promptly and to users, commissioners and providers (Dec FIS information and know what services are available and 2011). Just@sk advice as a universal how to access them.  Services at first point of contact configured to service signpost services.

E.2 Prevention and early intervention

Action Outcome and performance measures Steps and timing Lead agency/person 5. Develop a  basic data on individuals at Tier 2  publish Version 1 of 4-5-6 (June 2011); Principal mechanism for or above is accurate and held in one  develop on-line template for a common Development Officer assessing need and place; assessment (January 2012); (Integrated Working) sharing information  children and young people and  establish electronic link between common Principal officer - on children and families report satisfaction with assessments and Tier 3/4 assessments to Business systems and young people collection of data and consent transfer data (January 2012). QA between and within mechanisms. agencies 6. Develop the skills of  practitioners (and families) report  set up and run training programme in use of Principal the workforce in easy access to data, easy inputting system (Jan 2012 – July 2012)); Development Officer recognising unmet of data and benefits of seeing whole (Integrated Working) need and using the 4- picture of needs and progress in 5-6 model to meeting needs. communicate those needs, early interventions and referrals

33 7. Map referral routes Evidence of outcome-based action plans  Extend membership of Children’s Directorate Principal with clear thresholds to meet needs on a multi-agency basis, integrated working steering group to partner Development Officer described in with identified co-ordinating key agencies (Integrated Working) commonly worker/lead professional where two or  Gain acceptance of 4-5-6 model by agencies as understood language more services required. agreed guide to determining thresholds for different types and levels of need  Develop common assessment tool for identifying child and family’s level and nature of need  Develop indicators to measure effectiveness  Review and reconfigure as necessary multi- agency panels and referral routes to take account of locality working  Train key personnel in each agency on use of tool through case studies and flowcharts

8. Families First Families recognise own needs or are  Assessment mechanism agreed and Head of Strategy, development identified early and receive support. implemented (see 7 above). (April 2012) Partnerships and Fewer families are referred to Tier 3  Multi-agency teams established (April 2012 – Commissioning and 4 services. March 2014) CYPP Families First Funding secured and  Statutory services and Families First spending Principal appropriate services commissioned to aligned with Welsh Government and CYPP Development Officer address Tier 1 and 2 issues. priorities and full commissioning process (Integrated Working) followed to give outcome-focused provision (April 2013)

34 9. Promotion of Families and schools work more  Showcase schools which have achieved the ESIS PSE adviser Investors in Families effectively together to meet the needs of Investors in Families quality mark (July 2012) children and young people.  Align schools seeking the IIF quality mark Principal Fewer referrals are made to services with Multi-agency Community team support Development Officer outside of the school setting. (Integrated Working)

E.3 Working together

Action Outcome and performance measures Steps and timing Lead agency/person 10. Agree with partners Effective multi-agency working leads to  Draft and agree the Integrated Working Head of Strategy, on a strategy for improved outcomes for children and Framework (June 2011). Partnerships and multi-agency young people and their families across  Establish project team to determine an Commissioning working across the the 5 dimensions of need. effective operational model for each of the 3 Principal County, including the localities (January 2012). Development Officer development of  Implement the first multi-agency community (Integrated Working) community hubs team (in April 2012)  Community hubs and satellites fully operational (April 2014) 11. Agree an information Multi-agency focus on meeting range of  Protocol endorsed by CYPP in line with Group manager: sharing protocol and different types and levels of need WASPI Business Strategy and set up the evidenced through assessments and  Create integrated database Support mechanisms to action plans. implement the exchange of essential information in a speedy and safe way. 12. Establish the The objectives of this project are to  During 2011/12, we will implement the Safeguarding and

35 Connecting Families develop and implement a new model of “Connecting Families” project through the Family Support team service to address the needs and LSB partnership. Service: project behaviours of families who place the  The project moved into its operational phase manager most demands on public services, i.e. on 4th January 2011 with the appointment of largely Tier 3 and 4, and have a the service manager. It will become fully disproportionate impact upon the operational by July 2011. communities in which they live. The overriding objectives when creating this multi-agency service will be to:  strengthen and improve outcomes for children and their families  improve integrated work practice and reduce duplication of resources  reduce disorder and crime in our communities  reduce the longer term costs to public services

This project will focus on the creation of a co-located multi-agency team to work intensively with high demand families within the County Borough of Bridgend. It is anticipated that this service will be a wrap-round provision to complement existing services. The

36 Bridgend Local Service Board and the BLSB Delivery Board will form the top level of governance for this project.

E.4 Matching services to needs

Action Outcome and performance measures Steps and timing Lead agency/person 13. Develop a programme Parents/carers report increased levels Programme developed to engage parents/carers Head of Strategy, of support for of confidence in managing children’s more in their children’s learning (April 2012). Partnerships and parents/carers in behaviour. Parenting support programme in place as a Commissioning and managing their Children and young people more universal entitlement and to meet specific Head of Safeguarding children’s behaviour highly motivated to succeed and report parenting needs regarding behaviour (April 2013). CFS and promoting positive good levels of emotional wellbeing. attitudes to learning and emotional wellbeing 14. Pilot key worker/lead Co-ordination of services where two  Configure multi-agency panels to operate on a Principal professional roles or more services are needed to meet locality basis (as 7 above) Development Officer within multi-agency needs, evidenced through planned and  Identify named keyworkers/lead professionals (Integrated Working) working arrangements actual outcomes across agencies  Allocate cases for family support with named keyworker  Establish relationship protocols and working arrangements between Multi-agency

37 Community teams and specialist resource teams e.g. Disabled Children’s team, TAPPAS 15. Provide opportunities Increased number of community  Identify schools that could be developed Children’s for children and young schools for children and families to  Invite organisations to use facilities Directorate: Learning people and their use out of school hours  Monitor and evaluate usage. (April 2012) Communities officer families to be engaged in beneficial out of school activities 16. Secure sufficient Working age people in low income Develop new childcare provision in areas of Childcare team childcare provision families gain qualifications and identified need while retaining existing provision. and meet the childcare employment through improved uptake Facilitate those children with disabilities and/or needs of children with of childcare opportunities. additional needs to access childcare provision. additional needs and Children and young people with Support families in or at risk of poverty to access those living in or at additional needs thrive and achieve childcare provision. risk of poverty their potential.

E5 What services need to do

Action Outcome and performance measures Steps and timing Lead agency/person 17. liaise with other  agencies report good levels of  Web-based system established to post good Head of Strategy, agencies to maximise communication on matters generic practice, blogs, research evidence, progress Partnerships and resources and give to supporting families; with turning the curve against outcomes (April Commissioning the best and most  best practice is taken up across 2013) BCBC efficient support to localities and between agencies to  Learning sets established for agencies to meet Commissioning individuals and their the benefit of children and young and take forward efficiencies work (September Officer families people and families. 2012)

38 18. extend the range  staff report satisfactory levels of  deliver joint workforce development of skills in the skills and knowledge to meet needs programme (start February 2012) workforce of service users;  fewer onward referrals to specialist services;  service users report satisfaction with advice and support provided.

E.6 Commissioning to achieve the best outcomes

Action Outcome and performance measures Steps and timing Lead agency/person 19. Agree a joint Establish a joint commissioning  Map services designed to meet needs and Head of Strategy, commissioning strategy to meet specific identified identify where there are gaps in service Partnerships and strategy which makes needs within the child population provision (March 2012) Commissioning best use of resources  Jointly commission the service on multi- BCBC in achieving positive agency basis to provide early interventions Commissioning outcomes (April 2013) Officer

E.7 Resources to meet needs

Action Outcome and performance measures Steps and timing Lead agency/person 20. Develop and Improved access and take-up of  Assess existing level of resources and Children’s Directorate implement a locality universal and targeted services that needs across Bridgend and Locality Health based approach to the reduce escalation of need to higher  Identify suitable geographically based Board provision of services levels of need that will require specialist locality

39 which relates the services.  Develop multi-agency model and total need to the total mechanism for delivering services resource available to  Commission or redesign existing services meet that need on an area basis 21. Produce and maintain Parents and carers select services that  Collect all available service information and CYPP a directory of they find acceptable in helping them to match against levels and types of need (Dec Family Information services matched to become more effective parents, 2011) Service need which address evidenced through increased service  Create technological solutions for accessing the range of needs take-up via self-referral directory from universal and  Each entry to clearly state how that service can preventative services be accessed (April 2012) through to critical services

40 Appendix A : Case Studies

Family 1 : The mother is a single parent with two children, 7 years and 2 years old. She is not in work, and depends on benefits. They have recently moved in with the children’s grandfather, to look after him following his wife’s death. He has a good relationship with the mother and the children, and is as supportive as he can be. The youngest child, a boy, has a pervasive developmental delay, which was identified and assessed at an early stage. All the family appear well cared for.

The youngest child is offered five sessions a week of childcare, but attends infrequently, despite offers to vary his hours to meet other demands on the family. All professional assessments (eg speech and language, educational psychology, motor skills and Schedule of Growing Skills) have been carried out, with support from the playgroup leader and staff, and treatment services , including an individual play plan, put in place. Although the child has made progress, and despite on-going support for the mother from the playgroup, attendance at appointments is variable and future progress compromised.

Family 2

The mother is a single parent with three children, a two and a half year old girl, and two boys aged 6 and 10 years. The three children were placed on the Child Protection Register, for neglect, but now have a Children in Need Plan in place, and have been taken off the Register. Although the mother is no longer with the children’s father, with who they have no contact, she does have a partner, who does not live with her and her family.

The mother, previously a victim of domestic violence, suffers depression, for which she has medication. She finds consistency in parenting very difficult and is unable to handle her children’s behaviour. She also finds it difficult to engage with services offered, and requires support to do this. Her youngest child, for example, has speech and language difficulties which have been recognised but are not being adequately addressed.

As a result of support from a keyworker, the mother has attended a ten week Incredible Years parenting course, which have improved her confidence and enabled her to put in place consistent approaches to her children’s behaviour, to their benefit and hers. A Play Plan for the children has been completed, and the speech and language issues are being addressed. Although she is still receiving support in the home, she is now calmer, more aware of and responsive to her children’s needs, and better able to manage their behaviour.

Family 3

This family, mother and father with two pre-school children, moved into the area from North Wales, and were housed in a fairly disadvantaged area of the Borough. Following neighbour disputes, in which they were targeted by young people and property vandalised, police and PCSOs became involved and the family were moved to another part of the Borough, where conditions have improved considerably.

1 Both children have been placed on the Child Protection Register (neglect relating to home conditions and safety) and the family are receiving one to one support for a range of issues. Budgeting is a considerable difficulty for them, and they are in arrears with their rent to a Registered Social Landlord. The youngest child has special needs.

Originally very demanding of support workers, the parents have gradually become more self- sufficient, and now only contact their worker over important issues. Home conditions have improved, and the children appear to be receiving consistently better care. Support will need to be long term, but there are on-going plans for gradual withdrawal of support with a view to increasing their own capacity to manage their affairs.

Family 4

The mother, who cares for her one year old daughter, is currently in custody proceedings for her two year old who lives with his father, who is also the father of the younger child. Despite the custody proceedings, he remains in touch with the younger child, bringing the two year old regularly to see his mother and sister. The mother is suffering depression, for which she receives medication. Following a recent neighbour dispute, the father returned to live temporarily with his ex-partner, and is still there.

Her Flying Start key worker is supporting her to attend appointments, including getting the youngest child’s immunisations completed. Her youngest child continues to receive a range of services from the Flying Start programme, including pre-school childcare. Other services are on offer, including to support the parents, but the court proceedings are taking up the parents’ attention to the exclusion of anything else.

2 Appendix B : Statistical data for Bridgend County

The needs of children and young people and their families have to be set in context. The statistical information comes mainly from 2008 and 2009 data.

Factor Figure Context/Comparison

Population of Bridgend 134,800 4.5% of the population of County Wales

Population growth rate 0.7% per annum Higher than the all Wales average

Number of under 16s 25,467 19% of Bridgend County’s population % of pupils of statutory 3.0% Welsh average: 5.7% school age from ethnic minority backgrounds (2011) Children and young people Bridgend: 10.8% Welsh average: 20.8% aged 3 – 24 able to speak Welsh % of children of statutory 19% 1% above the Welsh school age entitled to free average school meals

Number of child care 2,400 Fewer than local places available authorities of similar size

% of children living in 19% 1% above the Welsh workless households average

Number of looked after 289 Increase of 13% against children (31/3/2010) Wales increase of 9% Fifth highest having 99.45 children per 10,000 child population. Wales 80.88 per 10000

Number of children on the 53-63 per 10,000 Fourth highest in Wales. child protection register population (LGDU) Low birth weight (2005 Bridgend: 6% Welsh average: 7.1% figures) Categories of abuse Neglect 50%

3 Physical abuse 32% Sexual abuse 10% Emotional abuse 7%

Social Care clients 22% of social care clients 18% of social care clients % of children and young fall in 0-17 year old in Wales fall in 0-17 year people in families population old population dependent on income support 48% of social care clients 39% of social care clients fall in 0-65 year old in Wales fall in 0-65 year population old population

Proportion of 6% of Bridgend children 12% of children in Wales children living in areas live in the top 10% most live in the top 10% most that are amongst the deprived areas deprived areas top 10% most deprived in Wales

% of 16 olds leaving Bridgend : 0.5% Wales average: 0.9% school with no qualifications

Year 11 Leavers (2008) Bridgend: 8% Welsh average: 7.1% known to be not in education, employment or training in March 2009 (includes those in part-time education) Teenage conceptions 45 per 1000 female Similar to the Welsh population aged 15-17 average but higher than comparable LAs

Adults aged 18-64 with Bridgend: 385 Welsh average: 205 mental health difficulties receiving community and residential based services during the year (2008-09 Adults aged 18-64 with Bridgend: 425 Welsh average: 345 learning disabilities receiving community and residential based services during the year

Homelessness survey Bridgend social housing: Welsh average social (Yellow) 14% housing: 16%

Recorded crime 3.2 per 1,000 for drug 4.2 per 1,000 for drug related offences (all ages) related offences (all ages)

4 Welsh average

5

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