Agenda item

Families First

Decision:

(a)       That the report be received;

 

(b)       That a further report be submitted to a future meeting of the Committee to include how challenges can and have been overcome and the impact on receiving communities; and

 

(c)        That the CYPP Co-ordinator would provide members with a contact number for the Families First service.

 

Minutes:

The Children and Young People’s Partnership Co-ordinator introduced a report to inform Members of the progress and ongoing development of the Families First Programme and the transition from the Cymorth Programme to the Families First Programme which had been completed.

 

The CYPP Co-ordinator provided background information and referred to the key considerations in the report.  She advised that the Families First programme aimed to build on best practice in the development of integrated service models to deliver preventative and early intervention approaches which targeted families most in need.   She also reported that the Family and Adolescent Support Team (FAST) provided a range of family centred interventions.

 

Members were informed that following guidance from the Welsh Government (WG) each local authority was required to submit a Families First Plan.  An updated Flintshire Families First Plan had been approved by the WG for roll out in April 2013.   A key element of the Plan was the development of the Team Around the Family (TAF) which had supported over a 100 families and worked with local services and support to co-ordinate a holistic whole family support approach via the implementation of TAF meetings and interventions for the most vulnerable families.  The Flintshire Families First Plan focused on national outcomes and local workstream areas.  The CYPP Co-ordinator explained that evidence and data from the workstreams had informed the development of the tendering process for the commissioning of the full Families First programme to deliver the broader Flintshire Families First Plan and commissioned projects.

 

During discussion the CYPP Co-ordinator responded to the concerns and observations made by Councillor P.G. Heesom around co-ordination and collaborative working concerning the Families First Programme and the Children and Young Peoples Partnership.  Councillor H.G. Roberts commented on the difficulties experienced in practice through collaborative working.  The CYPP Co-ordinator commented that Flintshire had worked closely with Wrexham and Denbighshire Authorities to share good practice and the results of collaborative working had been positive.

 

Councillor H.J. McGuill asked if links had been established with the  Housing service.  The CYPP Co-ordinator explained that there had been a number of referrals from Housing.  Councillor McGuill also asked what support was provided for families which experienced very difficult and unsettled lifestyles.   

 

The Chairman asked how the Children and Young Peoples Partnership fed into the Health Social and Well-being Care Partnership.  The CYPP Co-ordinator advised that the Health Social Care and Well Being Partnership had created a shared agenda.

 

Councillor I.B. Roberts queried how local communities were supported when intervention with families and young people had not been successful and communities suffered disruption as a result.  In his response the Director of Community Services referred to a number of approaches which could be taken to resolve the issues alluded to.  He also commented on the close links established between Housing services and Families First and the policies in place to address problems caused by anti-social behaviour.

 

Councillor C.A. Thomas raised further questions concerning funding, access to information and services, awareness raising, consistency, and play provision.  The CYPP Co-ordinator responded to the matters raised and explained that funding had been provided by the Welsh Government for 18 months and further funding for the next three years was expected.

 

The Head of Children’s Services referred to the Integrated Family Support Services Team which operated across Wrexham and Flintshire.  She outlined the remit of the Team and explained that it was only able to work with substance misuse families due to the fiscal position.

 

It was agreed that the CYPP Co-ordinator would provide members with contact numbers for the Families First service.

 

RESOLVED:

 

 (a)      That the report be received;

 

(b)       That a further report be submitted to a future meeting of the Committee to include how challenges can and have been overcome and the impact on receiving communities; and

 

(c)        That the CYPP Co-ordinator would provide members with a contact number for the Families First service.

 

Supporting documents: