Doncaster Stronger Families Expanded Programme
Outcomes Plan 2015 – 2020
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Contents
Introduction ...................................................................................................................................................................... 3
How to use the Outcomes Plan......................................................................................................................................... 5
Case Management ............................................................................................................................................................ 5
Interventions ..................................................................................................................................................................... 6
Whole Family Action Plans and Systemic assessments .................................................................................................... 6
Support through the Stronger Families Programme ........................................................................................................ 6
Outcome 1..................................................................................................................................................................... 7
Outcome 2..................................................................................................................................................................... 9
Outcome 3 ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………11
Outcome 4................................................................................................................................................................... 13
Outcome 5................................................................................................................................................................... 15
Outcome 6................................................................................................................................................................... 17
Appendix 1 ...................................................................................................................................................................... 20
Early Help Pathway ..................................................................................................................................................... 20
Appendix 2 ...................................................................................................................................................................... 21
Stronger Families Expectations Brief .......................................................................................................................... 21
Background ................................................................................................................................................................. 21
Family support workers will be required to: ............................................................................................................... 21
5 FAMILY INTERVENTION PRINCIPLES:........................................................................................................................ 22
1.
Dedicated workers, dedicated to families ....................................................................................................... 22
2.
Practical ‘hands on’ support............................................................................................................................ 23
3.
Persistent, assertive and challenging approach.............................................................................................. 24
4.
Considering the family as a whole – gathering the intelligence ..................................................................... 24
5.
A common purpose and agreed action ........................................................................................................... 25
Payment by Results ......................................................................................................................................................... 25
Summary of Outcomes Plan............................................................................................................................................ 27
2
Introduction
The aim of the Stronger Families Programme is to improve the way families are supported to improve their
lives using a whole family approach through a lead practitioner model and building resilience; as well as
reduce the demand on high cost services by identifying and intervening in families earlier.
Doncaster successfully delivered the first phase of Stronger Families between 2012 and 2015, supporting
over 1000 families and successfully ‘turning around’ (DCLG criteria) 870 families as agreed with the
Government. This has enabled Doncaster to be eligible for the Expanded Programme (AKA Phase 2) which
is proposed as a 5 year programme (2015 -2020) with the first year guaranteed and the subsequent four to
be agreed after the General Election May 2015 as part of the Autumn Spending Review statement in
November.
The Expanded Programme is named as such because it does just that, it has widened the eligibility criteria
for families to be included so that local areas will be able to include the families that are of most concern
to them, high cost or fit local priority issues. This programme is based on 6 family themes which families
must have at least two to be eligible. These themes are:
1. Parents and children involved in crime or anti-social behaviour.
2. Children who have not been attending school regularly.
3. Children who need help.
4. Adults out of work or at risk of financial exclusion and young people at risk of worklessness.
5. Families affected by domestic violence and abuse.
6. Parents and children with a range of health problems.
A family is, for the purposes of the Stronger Families programme is based on the definition used by the
Census 2011– i.e. ‘a group of people who either share living accommodation, or share one meal a day and
who have the address as their only or main residence’. This has to include at least on dependent child or
young person (dependent child is a person aged 0-15 in a household or aged 16-18 in full-time education, in training
or unemployed and living in a family with his or her parent(s). )
Under these themes we have developed our indicators, evidence sources and suggested interventions for
workers to consider when families present with these issues.
The Outcomes plan is our tool to enable Audit to agree our claims for families making significant &
sustained progress, to go forward to the Department for Communities and Local government (DCLG) for
Payment by Results (PbR) money. Unlike the first phase of Stronger Families, however, we also have to
report on the amount of finances saved through the programme via the Cost Benefit Calculator tool
introduced by DCLG, contribute to the National Impact Study (NIS) by providing much more data on a
sample of families, increase the amount of information we report on through the Family Progress Data
(FPD) process and we have to report on how we are transforming services to better meet the needs of
whole families. These latter elements of reporting are the main focus for DCLG in the Expanded
Programme.
This plan is not fixed; it is an iterative ‘living’ plan that must reflect priorities for the area and the needs of
families as they change. It will also develop as we develop our processes and the Expanded Programme
develops nationally moving into the further four year period. It is inextricably linked to the Early Help
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developments in Doncaster and to partner organisations own priorities and KPI’s as Stronger Families is
everyone’s business.
We will have to ‘turn around’ 2890 families over the five year period of the Expanded Programme which is
a huge task but with everyone playing their part is feasible. It is important to state that these are not ‘new’
families but they are families we as partners are working with already in some way or other. What this
programme aims to do is embed the whole family approach to working with families to improve the
services they receive and help them build their resilience to sustain improvements they make. The
Stronger Families Expectations Brief outlines this (Appendix 2). This is based on the 5 family intervention
principles laid out in the DCLG report “Working with Troubled Families - A guide to the evidence and good
practice” Dec 2012.
It also aims to isolate and communicate cost savings showing how the service transformation processes are
reducing costs and thus providing potential for ongoing sustained funding for whole family approaches to
working
Equalities
The Public Sector Equalities Duty (PSED) was introduced by the Equality Act 2010 and replaces the race,
disability and gender equality duty. Compliance with the PSED is a legal obligation. The duty ensures
councils, and other public bodies, consider how different people will be affected by their activities and
services.
We link closely into Doncaster Council’s service specific objectives as they reflect the priorities of the
borough, these are:

To improve economic outcomes for young people by increasing opportunities to be in education,
employment or training especially those aged 16-24, young parents, females, carers, those with
disabilities looked after young people and those with special educational needs.

To support more women into employment and training opportunities

To narrow the educational attainment gap between different groups of children across all the key
stages

To reduce the number of hate crime offences which cover a number of protected characteristics

To reduce the levels of violence and domestic abuse, increase reporting and support mechanisms
available for victims in particular women.

To increase awareness and access for adult social care users who are over 65, those with mental
health issues and those from BME backgrounds to self-directed support, providing improved choice
and control.

To improve health and wellbeing by reducing health inequalities.
Under the PSED we are required to undertake an due regard statement for the programme which outlines
how we have considered the impact of the programme on the nine protected characteristics outlined in
the PSED and how we have made reasonable adjustments to minimise any negative impacts that may be
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foreseen. This, like the Outcomes Plan, is not a one off piece of work but an ongoing process to review,
amend and adapt as impacts change or appear with the changes in the programme itself. Regular reviews
of the impacts of the programme will take place alongside PbR claims and Outcome plan developments.
How to use the Outcomes Plan
The plan is divided into the 6 family outcomes, under each are the indicators we are using to identify
families (eligibility), the required milestones to achieve outcomes to prove significant and sustained
progress, links to the Borough Strategy, information sources and suggested interventions.
This Outcomes Plan should be viewed alongside the process flow chart (Appendix 1). When you engage
with a family we want you to assess whether they are eligible for the programme by checking their
circumstances against the eligibility criteria outlined in this plan (also as a list on the Early Help Module
[EHM] ). If you are unsure there are people listed on the EHM to assist you. If families are eligible this does
not mean you make a referral to another professional; Stronger Families is everyone’s business and you
may still be the lead for that family, but have access to enhanced resources to help you help the family.
Follow the process flowchart and the instructions on EHM to gather family information .
We have included in this plan examples of the type of evidence we will require to provide to Audit to make
a claim under each outcome and some core intervention ideas as well as where to get extra support . Please
note this is not an exhaustive list.
We know that outcomes are linked in that presenting issues may be the result of an underlying cause, for
example emotional wellbeing may be a result of drug or substance misuse, or equally it may be the result
of debt and financial issues. We also know that an outcome may only be achieved if the root causes are
tackled and so it may be necessary to support a family’s mental health issues before they are able to
consider pathway to work. The point of a whole family approach is to understand the whole family, their
functioning and the root causes to their issues that they need help with to enable them to progress and
sustain improvements in their lives.
Case Management
The Early Help Module (EHM) is the new case management system being developed to support the
Stronger Families Programme and all early help cases. There will be forms that ask workers to identify if
families meet the eligibility criteria for the Expanded Stronger Families Programme and therefore access to
resources and support. The EHM is a changed version of the CAF that reflects the whole family and
requires a whole family focus on assessment and interventions. The forms are designed to allow workers
to quickly input information and view the whole family progress and flexible enough to allow for workers
to give bespoke information based on the assessment processes.
All workers will be expected to have undertaken training on the EHM to be competent and confident in
using it. It is a web based system with access via a personal log in so all agencies will be able to access it as
required. We know that some partner agencies may have some difficulties and so support is in place to
help individual workers / agencies to access and input onto the system.
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Interventions
We are moving more and more towards an evidenced based interventions model where we know and can
show that interventions with families work. This has a number of benefits including more value for money,
more effective outcomes for families, less duplication and greater efficiencies for services. We aim to help
workers identify evidenced based interventions that may be helpful for the family as part of their whole
family action plan.
We also understand that sometimes what we have doesn’t fit and we may want to test new interventions
that don’t have an evidence base, and so we will be looking to seek out innovative new interventions and
use these to build our own evidence base.
Whole Family Action Plans and Systemic assessments
The central premise of Stronger Families is that we work with families as a whole through a lead
practitioner, not with individuals within the family in isolation. Family functioning plays a huge part on the
issues that families face, the way they interact with services and their ability to achieve outcomes. This
requires families to be assessed on a whole family basis and for action plans to be developed on a whole
family basis, with agreed goals and responsibilities by all involved.
We have invested heavily in Child & Family Assessment Training for staff across partner agencies to build a
consistent methodology to using systemic approaches to whole family assessments. These will help build a
whole family action plan that all sign up to (including the family) and are clear on their responsibilities. The
EHM will enable simple clear monitoring of families where all involved can keep up to date with
developments and progress, led by a lead professional.
Support through the Stronger Families Programme
We also want to provide families and their workers with resources and support to help make progress as
quickly as possible and maintain those improvements for the long term. We have listed the main sources of
support available to families and their workers; for example the innovation fund is available for workers to
seek small amounts of funding to unblock barriers or overcome issues that may be preventing families
from progressing or overcome a crisis; but we are also very keen to hear about other potential helpful
ways we can help families from workers and families themselves.
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Outcome 1:
Family ceases involvement in crime and anti-social behaviour
Borough Strategy Theme 6: Tackling crime & anti-social behaviour (ASB) across the borough.
Eligibility criteria:
1.1 A child who has committed a proven offence in the previous 12 months
1.2 An adult or child who has received an anti-social behaviour intervention (or equivalent local
measure) in the last 12 months.
1.3 An adult with parenting responsibilities who is on licence or supervision in the community
following release from prison.
1.4 A warning letter about breach of tenancy conditions for nuisance or anti-social behaviour at
any stage of possession proceedings
1.5 Environmental Health interventions to tackle complaints of domestic noise nuisance
Sustained & significant Progress measures:
1.1 Significant & Sustained improvement – 60% reduction across the family for 6 months
1.2 Significant & Sustained improvement – 40% reduction across the family for 6 months.
1.3 Significant & Sustained improvement – No further offence within 6 months
1.4 Significant & sustained improvement – No further complaints for 6 months.
1.5 Significant & sustained improvement – No further interventions in 6 months
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Evidence required:
All members of the family to have sustained or significant improvement across all of the eligibility
criteria in order for a claim to be submitted. Claims will require case worker evidence including
dates of last offence /complaint / intervention.
Example Interventions (not exhaustive list):
Guidance to staff on core interventions available to support families to meet this criteria. (EG:



CRC – Building Respectful Relationships programme (BRR)
Diversionary activities such as Kicks programme
Diversionary activities organised by local groups
Benefits:
Outline of the expected benefits of family meeting this criteria (see Cheshire example).



Improved family relationships
Reduced community tensions
Better role models and increased employability
Support available:




EG: Access to Innovation Fund via Stronger Communities Manager
FIO support to update EHM
Communities’ officers to support aspects of Whole Family Action Plan
Early Help service support
Linking Outcomes:



3 – All children attend school regularly
4 – Adults are supported into work and/or out of financial exclusion and/or young
people are supported into employment education and training
5 - Family no longer affected by domestic violence and abuse
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Outcome 2:
All children in the family attend school regularly
Borough Strategy Theme 4: Protecting and improving all our children’s lives.
Eligibility criteria:
2.1 Unauthorised absence over the last 3 consecutive school terms.
2.2 A child who received at least 3 fixed term exclusions over the last 3 consecutive school
terms.
2.3 A child who is in alternative provision for behavioural problems.
2.4 A child who is neither registered with a school or being educated otherwise
2.5 A child who has poor punctuality and more than 6 late marks at school in a six week period.
Sustained & significant Progress measures:
2.1 Significant & sustained improvement – Each individual attends 85% of their expected
attendance over three consecutive school terms (Note: this increased to 90% in
September 2015 in line with DfE guidelines)
2.2 Significant & sustained improvement – No further FTE in 3 consecutive school terms
2.3 Significant & sustained Improvement – Child moves back into mainstream provision or
most appropriate provision
2.4 Significant & sustained improvement – Child is registered with a school or is educated at
home (and is an acceptable arrangement).
2.5 Significant & sustained Improvement – A 25% improvement in punctuality over 3
consecutive school terms.
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Evidence required: School attendance figures,




evidence from EWO’s , case worker, school and provider to include agreed
timetable / attendance expectations if other than 100%
punctuality data,
registration with School or alternative provision appropriate to young person or
child,
Evidence of agreement of home education
Example Interventions (not exhaustive list):





Case work – whole family approach
EWO’s - Work with families on developing good habits – morning routine, bedtime
routine
Improving punctuality and attendance via initiatives and casework and the School
Attendance Matters Program and the Wise Up Programme
Specialist work with migrant families to support successful transition to the Education
System
Parent workshops for Early Years and as an alternative to Fixed Penalty Notices
Benefits:






Improved punctuality,
attendance and attainment,
Reduced ASB
Reduced NEET.
Increased employability. Improved self-esteem and confidence,
Increased social interaction.
Support available:
4
5
6
7
8
EG: Access to innovation fund
Access to extra support via SF funded EWO’s
FIO support to update EHM
Additional school support
Universal youth offer
Linking Outcomes:




1 – Family ceases involvement in crime and anti-social behaviour
3 – Children receive help at the earliest point
4 – Adults are supported into work and/or out of financial exclusion and/or young
people are supported into employment education and training
6 – Families have improved health
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Outcome 3:
Children receive help at the earliest point
Borough Strategy Theme 4: Protecting and improving all our children’s lives.
Eligibility criteria:
3.1 A family who is entitled to access the two year old entitlement and are not taking up the free
childcare place for their child.
3.2 Under 5’s not taking up nursery and do not have alternative provision in place.
3.3 A child in need under section 17 of the Children’s Act.
3.4 A child who has been referred to Early Help Triage
3.5 A child who is subject to Child protection Plan.
3.6 A child who goes missing from home
Sustained & significant Progress measures:
3.1 Significant & sustained improvement – The child access all of the 15 hours entitlement on
a regular basis.
3.2 Significant & sustained improvement – The child access all of the entitlement a regular
basis.
3.3 Significant & sustained improvement – CIN cases remain closed for 6 months (clarify how
that fits with step down into low level support / super light cases support in SF?)
3.4 Significant & sustained improvement – A whole family action plan is in place and
outcomes are achieved – To be monitored locally only until processes and presenting issues
outside of SF criteria are analysed.
3.5 Significant & sustained improvement - CP case is stepped down and remains in early help
for 6 months ( needs more robust step down agreements linked to whole family action
plan)
3.6 Significant & sustained improvement – TBC (EG reduction in police call outs / incidents of
missing from home)
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Evidence required:





All members of the family to have sustained improvement across all of the eligibility
criteria which were identified when the family was referred.
Evidence will be gathered from case worker and from data feeds in order to assess for
progress against the criteria.
School readiness information
Child with a disability has support / EHC plan in place
Police call outs re missing from home, family worker evidence
Example Interventions (not exhaustive list):




Children’s Centre support – parenting support
Early Help service support
Short Breaks for Disabled Children
Health Support
Benefits:




Improved school readiness,
Improved behaviour,
Social networks for parents,
Access to support for family at the right time for optimum benefit.
Support available:



EG: Access to innovation fund
FIO support to update EHM
Parenting support
Linking Outcomes:



2 – All children attend school regularly
4 – Adults are supported into work and/or out of financial exclusion and/or young people
are supported into employment education and training
6 – Families have improved health
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Outcome 4:
Adults are supported into work or out of financial exclusion or young people
are supported to be in employment, education or training.
Borough Strategy Theme 1: Creating a strong, connected and inclusive economy.
Eligibility criteria:
4.1 An adult in receipt of out of work benefits – (JSA, IS, ESA etc.) add JSA, IS, ESA etc.)
4.2 A young person who is about to leave compulsory education who has low/ no predicted
qualifications - Monitor locally initially to test access to data and outcomes.
4.3 A young person who is not in education, employment or training (NEET)
4.4 A family with rent arrears or other substantial debts
4.5 A family living in temporary accommodation
Sustained & significant Progress measures:
4.1 Significant & sustained improvement – Adult moves off out of work benefits into work for 6
months OR takes up volunteering opportunity or takes up learning as progress to work (JSA)
or 13 weeks (ESA, IS, IB, Carers allowance, Severe disablement Allowance)
4.2 Significant & sustained improvement – Young person is not NEET on leaving school for 6
months
4.3 Significant & sustained improvement – Young person is EET for 6 months
4.4 Significant & sustained improvement – Rent arrears plan in place or debt management plan
in place resulting in reduced arrears / debt
4.5 Significant & sustained improvement – Family gains secure accommodation and retains it
for 6 months
Evidence required:





Outcome 4
Employment start date / claim end date / volunteering start date
School intended destination data set (May annually).
NEET/Not knowns list
All members of the family to have sustained improvement across all of the eligibility
criteria which were identified when the family was referred.
Evidence will be gathered from case worker and from data feeds in order to assess for
progress against the criteria.
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Example Interventions (not exhaustive list):








DWP TFEA support to family workers and direct with families to look at best options to
gain employment or route to employment.
DWP – Help with C.V., employability courses (See TFEA)
Libraries C.V. support and access to I.T.
Volunteering opportunities
St Leger World of Work scheme (St Leger tenants only)
IAG
Family and community learning opportunities
Universal youth offer
Benefits:






Families where adults are in work are better off and often pay less for services,
Young people who are not NEET have better prospects and improved opportunities.
Families in work rely less on services and cost less, they also make a contribution to the
economy.
Families develop skills and knowledge to manage their finances better and avoid crises in
future
Greater resilience
Less stress and worry related to debt
Support available:




EG: Access to innovation fund
TFEA support
Fast track to services???
FIO support to update EHM
Linking Outcomes:




1 – Family ceases involvement in crime and anti-social behaviour.
2 – All children attend school regularly
3 – Children receive help at the earliest point
6 – Families have improved health
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Outcome 5
Outcome 5:
Family no longer affected by domestic violence and abuse.
Borough Strategy Theme 6: Tackling crime & anti-social behaviour (ASB) across the borough.
Eligibility criteria:
5.1 A young person or adult known as having experienced, currently experiencing or at risk of
experiencing domestic violence or abuse in the last 12 months
5.2 A young person or adult known as having perpetrated an incident of domestic violence or
abuse in the last 12 months.
5.3 The family has been subject to a police call out in the past 12 months.
Sustained & significant Progress measures:
5.1 Significant & sustained improvement – No further experience over 6 months
5.2 Significant & sustained improvement – No further instances of DV or abuse reported against
the individual in 6 months.
5.3 Significant & sustained improvement – No further call outs received to family home reported
against the individual in 6 months.
Evidence required:


All members of the family to have sustained improvement across all of the eligibility
criteria which were identified when the family was referred.
Evidence will be gathered from case worker and from data feeds in order to assess for
progress against the criteria.
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Example Interventions (not exhaustive list):










MPACT programme (substance and alcohol misuse)
IMPACT programme (offender management)
IDVA service (support for high risk cases)
Domestic Abuse Caseworker service (lower level cases)
Foundation 4 Change (perpetrators programme)
Getting On (Teen to parent abuse programme)
You & Me mum (mums and children)
Freedom project
Building better relationships (CRC)
Riverside floating support service & refuge
Benefits:





Increased knowledge and skills for family members of how to deal with DA
Reduced or ceased incidents of abuse or violence
Increased safety for children, increased attendance and attainment at school
Support for perpetrators to manage their behaviour
Reduced Police callouts
Support available:





EG: Access to innovation fund
FIO support to update EHM
Victims support services
Perpetrator support programmes
Linking Outcomes:





1 – Family ceases involvement in crime and anti-social behaviour.
2 – All children attend school regularly
3 – Children receive help at the earliest point
4 – Adults are supported into work and/or out of financial exclusion and/or young people
are supported to be in employment, education or training
6 – Families have improved health
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Outcome 6
Outcome 6:
Families have improved health.
Borough Strategy Theme 5: Improving health and support for independent lives.
Eligibility criteria:
6.1 A child, or, an adult with parental responsibilities, with emotional well-being or mental health
issues
6.2 A child, or, an adult with parenting responsibilities, with drug, alcohol or substance misuse
issues
6.3 The family improve their physical health and wellbeing (basket indicator based on ONS wellbeing
scores and to also contain smoking, isolation, GP/Dentist registration, and other health priorities.)
6.4 An obese child or young person in the family
Sustained & significant Progress measures:
6.1 Significant & sustained improvement – There is an active plan in place and there are no
further referrals for the same or other problems over a 6 month period. (progress recorded
by family and worker using Edinburgh scale or NEF)
6.2 Significant & sustained improvement – 6 month attendance in rehab and or support with no
further known instances of concern.
6.3 Significant & sustained improvement - Family physical health and wellbeing improves
through use of ONS questions and self-reporting of family endorsed by lead professional.
6.4 Significant & sustained improvement – TBC (EG completion of weight management programme?)
Evidence required:


All members of the family to have sustained or significant improvement across all of the
eligibility criteria in order for a claim to be submitted.
Evidence will be gathered from case worker and from data feeds in order to assess for
progress against the criteria.
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Example Interventions (not exhaustive list):
Obesity:


Basic needs; provision of food, finances and routines around mealtimes
Cook & eat workshops
Drug & Alcohol:


MPACT programme
Intensive support from midwife and health visitor
Emotional wellbeing & mental health:



Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) RDASH
CAMHS
Benefits:



Healthier lifestyle choices
Better self-management
Reduced health complications and future reliance on services
Support available:




EG: Access to innovation fund
Fast track to services???
FIO support to update EHM
Access to AFCL learning opportunities
Linking Outcomes:




2 – All children attend school regularly
3 – Children receive help at the earliest point
4 – Adults are supported into work and/or out of financial exclusion and/or young people
are supported to be in employment, education or training
5 – family no longer affected by domestic violence and abuse.
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Appendix 1
Early Help Pathway
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Appendix 2
Stronger Families Expectations Brief
Doncaster Stronger Families Programme is centred on the evidence base of family interventions outlined in the DCLG
report ‘Working with Troubled Families – A guide to evidence and good practice’ (DCLG Dec 2012).
The paper below outlines our expectations of a way of working with families as a whole unit.
Background
For the purposes of qualifying to be part of the Troubled Families Programme, they are those who meet at least
2 of the six headline criteria below:
1. Parents and children involved in crime or anti-social behaviour.
2. Children who have not been attending school regularly.
3. Children who need help: children of all ages, who need help, are identified as in need or are subject
to a Child Protection Plan.
4. Adults out of work or at risk of financial exclusion or young people at risk of worklessness.
5. Families affected by domestic violence and abuse.
6. Parents and children with a range of health problems.
Family support workers will be required to:

Work in partnership with all other agencies as determined by the programme

Work with partners to risk assess families identified through S.F. programme (via Triage arrangements)

Receive referrals of families assessed as high level \ complex families and where appropriate those medium
families on the cusp of high level needs as determined by Area Managers as local coordinators

Work to the 5 family intervention principles set out below

Keep accurate up to date records using a family assessment process and family action plan

Report to Area managers and provide information about outcomes achieved in a timely manner– linked to
the above criteria and agreed family action plans?

Step down families to a range of universal \ lower level support as appropriate

Be flexible and take on changes within the programme as they arise
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Doncaster Stronger Families programme has adopted the 5 evidence based family intervention principles
5 FAMILY INTERVENTION PRINCIPLES:
1. A dedicated worker, dedicated to a family
2. Practical ‘hands on’ support
3. A persistent, assertive and challenging approach
4. Considering the family as a whole – gathering the intelligence
5. Common purpose and agreed action
1.
Dedicated workers, dedicated to families
The evidence suggests that much of the success of family intervention work is due to the skills of individual
workers, both in building an honest and productive relationship with a family and influencing the actions of
other agencies around that family. A family’s impression of their worker is often what determines their views of
an entire service and willingness to work with it. If practitioners can overcome families’ resistance and start to
build such relationships, families are much more likely to accept the support being offered and respond to the
strong challenge to try to change their lives. They ‘grip’ the family, their problems and the surrounding agencies
and are seen to be standing alongside the families, their difficulties and the process being put in place, which
can lead to new approaches to dealing with long standing problems.
“The early help assessment should be undertaken by a lead professional who should provide support to
the child and family, act as an advocate on their behalf and coordinate the delivery of support
services. The lead professional role could be undertaken by a General Practitioner (GP), family
support worker, teacher, health visitor and/or special educational needs coordinator. Decisions
about who should be the lead professional should be taken on a case by case basis and should be
informed by the child and their family. “
(Working Together to Safeguard Children - A guide to inter-agency working to safeguard and promote the welfare of
children. March 2013)
Doncaster Stronger Families model is developing a tiered approach depending upon the complexity of need within
the family; this worker will be either a dedicated intensive family support worker or professional who takes on a lead
professional role. This person will provide a conduit for the family to other professionals and vice versa, playing a
coordination role respected by all involved.
The purpose of these roles is to ‘grip’ the family and coordinate services to meet the needs and issues identified with
the family; taking responsibility for a case load of families, planning, co-ordinating and evaluating progress towards
outcomes from their single family action plan. Delivering some aspects of family action plans where appropriate.
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The role of lead professional
The lead professional is not a new role, but a set of core functions to help deliver effective, integrated support,
namely:

act as a single point of contact for the child or family

coordinate the delivery of the actions agreed by the practitioners involved

reduce overlap and inconsistency in the services offered to families.
A lead professional will be required to carry out a number of tasks, which will be a normal course of action.
These might include

building a trusting relationship with the family (or other carers) to secure their involvement in the process

being the single point of contact for the family and a sounding board for them to ask questions and discuss
concerns

being the single point of contact for all practitioners who are delivering services to the child

coordinating the effective delivery of a package of ‘solution-focused’ actions. And also establishing a process
by which this will be reviewed regularly.
Practitioners reported the following benefits of taking on the lead professional role:
2.

the role helped them access services for the child or young person in a swift and timely manner, thus
intervening before problems escalated

many welcomed the opportunity to work more closely with the child’s parents or carers in a different way

they were able to develop valuable skills for their own career development.
Practical ‘hands on’ support
An initial focus on practical help, such as overdue repairs, cleaning projects, rubbish clearance or obtaining
crucial items such as beds for children or a functioning washing machine is important in starting to build the
relationship with families needed to bring about change. Seeing some practical and quick results can signal to
families that the worker intends to keep their promises and is there to help. This may be the point where
families begin to see their worker as different to other agencies in their lives (who may assess and tell families
what they are doing wrong – but don’t always offer assistance to make things right) and begin to trust them
and become more willing to work with them.
We want to show our families in Doncaster that practical actions help to solve their issues; workers will be
expected to help in a practical way not just telling families what they need to do. We already have examples of
where a practical support action has helped in engaging families in a more positive way by sourcing equipment,
accessing additional services or practically leading household tasks.
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3.
Persistent, assertive and challenging approach
One of the most definitive characteristics of family intervention workers is that they are persistent, tenacious and
assertive with families who often say they are not interested in the help being offered or don’t answer the door.
Families have described how the arrival of the family intervention case worker is a real ‘wake-up moment’ and that it
feels very different to that of other agencies. Often families are really on their last chance with other agencies or the
council, perhaps through the distress they are causing their neighbours, or because their children are at risk or being
neglected, and are therefore facing a variety of enforcement action. Family intervention workers make it clear that
they have to either take this intensive help or potentially face some tough consequences. Sometimes this
arrangement is set out in a written contract that the family and agencies sign.
We are clear that in Doncaster there is no option for families to carry on and ignore or decline help. They must be
made aware that the offer of help is there but to not engage may bring on consequences such as eviction or court
proceedings where appropriate. The workers must be clear on this from the outset and be assertive in their
approach to develop that honest but challenging relationship with families.
4.
Considering the family as a whole – gathering the intelligence
Workers go to great lengths to try to understand how things feel for the family and the children within that
family. Work with a family starts with frequent visits to the home: meeting, talking to and observing families
and their interactions to carry out an assessment of the whole family. They gather as much information about
the family as is possible to try to understand the patterns of behaviour (for example, previous history of care),
to understand the influences on the family (perhaps the father might be in prison or the grandmother may be
available for child care) in order to work out the best way forward. This often distinguishes this work from other
agencies that tend to – despite good intentions – only consider individuals or individual family issues rather
than the whole family. This often means that the family often feel their worker really knows and understands
them.
These wider perspectives of the family can shed new light on what the real issues are for a family or what the
solutions may be. For example families can have unaddressed health problems which are often at the root of
other difficulties.
In Doncaster we want to see whole family assessments based on the EHM informed by lengthy interaction with
the family and influencing factors, agency history and specialist assessments that have already taken place. This
will then inform the development of a single family action plan.
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5.
A common purpose and agreed action
Through family intervention, families and their problems are ‘gripped’ and a plan of action for resolving them
developed and agreed. Cases are not allowed to 'drift', and the family intervention worker will ensure the
efforts of different agencies and professionals are pulled together and aligned. This reduces the opportunity for
families to ‘play agencies off against each other’, provides an opportunity to reduce some of the overlapping
agency activity that surrounds these families and the waste that entails, plus the knock-on impact that may
have on the families. It requires family intervention workers and managers to cut through overlapping plans,
assessments and activity, to prevent resources being wasted as different agencies pull in conflicting directions.
In Doncaster we want to see single family action plans developed where a whole family assessment provides in
depth knowledge of the family, their issues and needs, strengths and abilities which then informs a single family
plan agreed by the family and agencies. All involved will then be clear on their responsibilities and actions which
will lead to much easier progress monitoring.
Payment by Results
The payment by Results (PbR) process continues into the Expanded Programme but this Outcomes Plan is the
basis of those claims rather than a set of centrally agreed outcomes. We must (with the agreement of Audit0
provide evidence that families have made the significant and sustained progress outlined in the first section of
this plan. Whichever of the 6 headline family themes are pertinent to the family must be included and each
must show the agreed level of progress across the agreed timespan.
It is crucial that family support workers ensure the correct information is collected and logged onto the EHM
system so that progress reports can be generated. Stronger Families programme is one of only a few that bring
much needed income into Doncaster to support families; inability to claim will reduce the level of income we
can attract.
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Currently we believe there will be three ‘claim windows’ in the first year of the programme; these are:



May 2015 (for early adopters)
September 2015
January 2016
The guidelines provided indicate that one claim can be made per family, but must evidence where
improvements are sustained against all of the 6 eligible criteria identified within that family. Given the
timescales before sustained progress can be realised it is anticipated that main claim period will be January
2016 (especially where there are education issues identified)
26
Summary Doncaster Stronger Families Outcomes Plan
DCLG Family Theme
1.
Parents and
children involved
in crime or
antisocial
behaviour
(Outcome:
Family ceases
involvement in
crime and antisocial behaviour)
Borough Strategy
Theme 6
2.
Children who
have not been
attending school
regularly
Nomination / Referral Routes*
Sustained and Significant
Progress
Link to
other
plans
Data Source
Existing Source
(Y/N)
Data
Sharing
Protocol
1.1 An adult or child who has
committed a proven offence
in the previous 12 months
Significant & Sustained
improvement –
SSDP
Youth
Offending
Team &
Police
Yes – within the
phase 1
framework
Outcomes – no
further offences
in 6 months
Y – Safer
Stronger
Doncaster
Partnership
SSDP
SYCRC
cross check
cohort to
probation
provider
Outcomes – no
issues within the
period of the
licence /
supervision
Y – Safer
Stronger
Doncaster
Partnership
SSDP
SYCRC
Cross check cohort
to SYCRC
Y – Safer
Stronger
Doncaster
Partnership
SLHD
Y
Y – Safer
Stronger
Doncaster
Partnership
Enforcemen
t team
y
Y – Safer
Stronger
Doncaster
Partnership
Education /
School
Yes - Outcomes –
as in phase 1
framework
Y
Early Help
60% reduction across the
family for 6 months
1.2 An adult or child who has
received an anti-social
behaviour intervention (or
equivalent local measure) in
the last 12 months.
Significant & Sustained
improvement –
1.3 An adult with parenting
responsibilities who is on
licence or supervision in the
community following release
from prison.
Significant & Sustained
improvement –
1.4 A warning letter about
breach of tenancy conditions
for nuisance or anti-social
behaviour at any stage of
possession proceedings
Significant & sustained
improvement –
1.5 Environmental Health
interventions to tackle
complaints of domestic noise
nuisance
Significant & sustained
improvement
2.1 Unauthorised absence
over the last 3 consecutive
terms
Significant & sustained
improvement –
No further offence within
6 months
No further complaints for
6 months.
No further interventions
for 6 months.
Early Help
Each individual attends
85% of their expected
attendance over three
consecutive school terms.
(Outcome: All
children in the
family attend
school regularly)
Borough Strategy
Theme 4
40% reduction across the
family for 6 months.
Information
compiled locally for
submission to the
Department for
Education for the
School Census
(Note: this increased to
90% in September 2015 in
line with DfE guidelines)
2.2 A child who has received
at least 3 fixed term
exclusions over the last 3
consecutive school terms
Significant & sustained
improvement –
No further FTE in 3
consecutive school terms
27
Early Help
Education /
School
As above
Y
DCLG Family Theme
Nomination / Referral Routes*
Sustained and Significant
Progress
Link to
other
plans
Data Source
Existing Source
(Y/N)
Data
Sharing
Protocol
2.3 A child who is in
alternative provision for
behavioural problems.
Significant & sustained
Improvement –
Early Help
Education /
School
As above
Y
2.4 A child who is neither
registered with a school, nor
being educated otherwise.
Significant & sustained
improvement –
Early Help
Education
Information
compiled locally
from within the
local authority
Y
2.5 A child who has poor
punctuality and more than 6
late marks in a 6 week period.
Significant & sustained
Improvement –
Child moves back into
mainstream provision or
most appropriate
provision
Child is registered with a
school or is educated at
home (and is an
acceptable arrangement).
Information
compiled by APWS
Early Help
A 25% improvement in
punctuality over 3
consecutive school terms
Early Help
Early Years
Free
Entitlement
Team
(Education
Standards &
Effectivenes
s Service)
Yes
3.2 Under 5’s not taking up
nursery and do not have
alternative provision in
place?
Early Help
Early years
Yes
3.3 A child in need under
section 17 of the Children’s
Act
Early Help
CYP Trust
Yes
3.4 A child who has been rereferred to Early Help triage.
Early Help
CYP Trust
Yes
3.5 A child subject to a child
protection plan
Early Help
CYP Trust
Yes
3.
Children who
need help
(Outcome:
Children receive
help at the
earliest point.)
Borough Strategy
Theme 4
3.1 A family who is entitled to
access the Two Year Old
Entitlement and are not
taking up the free childcare
place for their child
3.6 A child missing from
home
4.
Adults out of
work or at risk of
financial
4.1 An adult in receipt of out
of work benefits – (JSA, IS,
ESA, etc)
TBC (EG no more police
call outs in 6 months)
Significant &
sustained
improvement –
Adult moves off out
28
Early Help
DWP
automated /
Benefits /
Other
N
Y – Safer
Stronger
Doncaster
Partnership
Yes but would
benefit from
additional data
(NINO) plus if also
going to be used
for assessment of
progress additional
Y
DCLG Family Theme
Nomination / Referral Routes*
Borough Strategy
Theme 6
Link to
other
plans
Data Source
of work benefits
into work for 6
months OR takes up
volunteering
opportunity or takes
up accredited
learning as progress
to work
exclusion or
young people at
risk of
worklessness
(Outcome: Adults
are supported
into work and/or
out of financial
exclusion and/or
young people are
supported to be
in employment,
education or
training)
Sustained and Significant
Progress
4.2 A young person who is
about to leave compulsory
education who has low/ no
predicted qualifications
Significant &
sustained
improvement –
Existing Source
(Y/N)
Data
Sharing
Protocol
data is needed
Early Help
Pam
Bolderson
Yes
Y
Outcomes –
transfer from
NEETs to EETs
Young person is not
NEET on leaving
school for 6 months
4.3 A young person who is
not in education,
employment or training
(NEET)
Significant &
sustained
improvement –
Early Help
Young person is EET
for 6 months
4.4 A family with rent arrears
or other substantial debts
Significant &
sustained
improvement –
Early Help
Rent arrears plan in
place or debt
management plan in
place resulting in
reduced arrears /
debt
4.5 A family living in
temporary accommodation
Significant &
sustained
improvement –
Early Help
Family gains secure
accommodation and
retains it for 6
months
5.
Families affected
by domestic
violence and
Victims
5.1 A young person or adult
known as having
experienced, currently
experiencing or at risk of
experiencing domestic
Significant &
sustained
improvement –
No further
experience over 6
29
SSDP
Early Help
DACs /
victim
service/IDV
A service
and
perpetrator
Service data
will
Y-.
Police
DAC workers
Y – Safer
Stronger
Doncaster
Partnership
DCLG Family Theme
abuse
(Outcome: Family
no longer
affected by
domestic
violence and
abuse)
Borough Strategy
Theme 6
Nomination / Referral Routes*
violence or abuse in the last
12 months
Parents and
children with a
range of health
problems
(Outcome :
Families have
improved health)
Borough Strategy
Theme 5:
Improving health
and support for
Link to
other
plans
Data Source
Existing Source
(Y/N)
Data
Sharing
Protocol
Y - Would require
needs and R/A at
time of
intervention and
after 3 months.
Needs discussion
re process.
Y – Safer
Stronger
Doncaster
Partnership
probably
suffice
months
Police
Perpetrators
5.2 A young person or adult
known as having perpetrated
an incident of domestic
violence or abuse in the last
12 months.
5.3 The family has been
subject to a police call out in
the past 12 months
6.
Sustained and Significant
Progress
6.1 A child, or, an adult with
parental responsibilities, with
emotional well-being or
mental health issues
6.2 A child, or, an adult with
parenting responsibilities,
with drug, alcohol or
substance misuse issues
Significant &
sustained
improvement –
No further instances
of DV or abuse
reported against the
individual in 6
months.
SSDP
Data –
DACs/Perpe
trator
Service/IDV
A etc.
Early Help
Police
Police
Significant &
sustained
improvement –
SSDP
No further call outs
received to family
home reported
against the
individual in 6
months.
Early Help
Significant &
sustained
improvement –
HWB
Strategy
There is an active
plan in place and
there are no further
referrals for the
same or other
problems over a 6
month period.
Significant &
sustained
improvement –
Police
RDaSH
Early Help
HWB
Strategy
Public
Health
DBHFT
6 month attendance
in rehab and or
support with no
further known
instances of concern
30
Early Help
To be clarified
To be locally
monitored
in Y1 until
strategy and
commissioni
ng plans in
place for
mental
health.
DCLG Family Theme
independent
lives.
Nomination / Referral Routes*
Sustained and Significant
Progress
6.3 The family improve their
health and wellbeing (basket
indicator based on ONS
wellbeing scores and to also
contain smoking, isolation,
GP/Dentist registration, and
other health priorities.)
Significant &
sustained
improvement –
6.4 An obese child or young
person in the family
TBC
Family health and
wellbeing improves
through
engagement with
services for at least
6 months
Link to
other
plans
Data Source
Existing Source
(Y/N)
HWB
Strategy
Family and
worker
assessed
using
Warwick
Edinburgh
scales.
N
Public
Health /
school
nurses
TBC
Data
Sharing
Protocol
Early Help
HWB
Strategy
Early Help
To be
monitored
locally until
programme
s of delivery
are re
tendered
and in place.
If you have any queries or comments relating to this document please contact:
StrongerFamiliesProgramme@doncaster.gcsx.gov.uk
31