Support where it’s needed
In their latest update on Allenton Big Local funded activities, the Nacro Osmaston Family Project reports that this quarter has seen another significant increase in families with complex needs and children who are subject to safeguarding plans. In the last quarter, there have also been two referrals to Social Care for safeguarding.
Nacro offers support on a weekly basis to the families who need it – both in the family home and through telephone calls or text messages of support in between visits.
Referrals for support are received from a variety of organisations, which last quarter included learning mentors, school safeguarding officers, children’s centres and Social Care. The referral agency provides details of the issues facing the family, as well as a risk assessment.
Nacro is currently supporting parents within all the levels of need, although most fall in to the first 3 levels which are: low level needs, emerging needs, and complex or serious needs.
Each parent is allocated an experienced family support worker who makes the initial visit with the referring agency to be introduced to the family. On the second visit, a support plan is drawn up with the parents and set outcomes are agreed.
Using a solution-focused approach, Nacro supports parents to help them move forward, address the issues and problems they are facing, and works towards improving outcomes for the family. The aim is to help build parents’ independence by working with them to identify their own issues, set realistic and achievable goals and develop their own skills and responses to resolving the issues they have identified and want to change.
3 C’s APPROACH
Nacro Osmaston Family Project use a 3 Cs step approach in the delivery of parenting support services:
- CONNECT
- CHALLENGE
- CHANGE
You can read more about how this works in their quarterly report for September 2017.
Through Allenton Big Local funding, Nacro has been able to support parents in the following ways this quarter:
• One-to-one support directly with parents and children in their own homes.
• 5 case conferences for children subject to a safeguarding plan.
• 2 referrals to social care for safeguarding issues.
• Attending Team around the family meetings.
• Completion of an Early Help Assessment.
• Attending professionals meetings.
• Attending a Trafficking Strategy meeting.
In general, parents receive weekly visits for usually up to three months, but in complex cases support is sometimes offered for a longer period of time, particularly if support is part of a safeguarding plan after a child protection conference.
This is what parents receiving support from Nacro in the last quarter said about the service they received:
“The support has been really good. I have learned so much.”
“It was very useful to look at my own behaviour as a parent. It made me realise I needed to change as a parent before my child could change.”
“I was given some really good advice which I have now started to use.”
“Having someone who did not judge me as a mum but was honest with me was so good. Thanks for your support and advice.”
“How helpful it was and how quickly someone was there to lend their support when it was most needed.”
“It helped me talk to someone who could help with ideas and strategies. It made me feel less helpless.”
Here are some of the comments received from referring agencies, including social workers, school nurses and safeguarding officers:
“This service worked really well as part of the team around the family.”
“The referral I made was picked up the next day and the family had a worker within two days. Excellent response.”
“This is a great service and was just right for the family I was supporting.”
“The family have really benefited from the support. I will definitely be referring again.”