Welsh Government
Update on Family Support
Martin Swain
Deputy Director
Children, Young People and Families
Directorate for Social Services and Children
Martin.swain@wales.gsi.gov.uk
Programme for Government
Key focus on supporting children, young people
and families – commitments include
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Supporting the roll out and implementation of
Families First
Expanding Flying Start by doubling the number
of children to 36,000
Continuing the roll out of Intergrated Family
Support Teams
Key changes for Family Support
Our review of support highlights effective
approaches include:
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Whole Family Approach
Strengths Based model
Skilled and trained staff – e.g. collaboration
Co-ordinated multi agency working
Early and appropriate intervention
Preparatory outreach work
Responsive programmes
Families First Update
Key Elements
1. Joint Assessment Family Framework (JAFF);
2. Team Around the Family model (TAF);
3. A coherent set of strategically commissioned, time
limited, family-focused services or projects;
4. An inter-authority Families First learning set;
5. Proposals to improve support for families with
disabled children and young people.
The Continuum of Support
Families With Additional Needs
Families First will focus on the preventative and protective sections of
the continuum of support.
Families with
Complex Needs
Families With
No Additional
Needs
This is where IFSS
and statutory and
specialist services will
focus resources.
Delivery – where are we now
• Pioneer areas up and running since 2010
• 14 local authorities involved in pioneer phase
– whole of North Wales
• Learning sets across Wales developing best
practice and feeding back into programme
development
• Full roll out across Wales from 1 April 2012
Flying Start – where we are now
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Pilot phase complete – delivering to 18,000 0-4
year olds and their families
4 core components offered universally to Flying
Start families
Two evaluations tell us this programme is
making a difference
Flying Start – what do we know
• Higher levels of service access
• Higher needs groups get the help
they need
• Proactive health visiting with
greater referrals
• Enhanced parenting support
through parenting programmes –
improvements for families
• Better home learning
• School readiness
Flying Start – what next
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Top five Welsh Government priority
Double the number of children and their
families that benefit to 36,000 by the end of this
term
£55 million additional funding available over the
next three years – total funding in excess of £70
million per annum by year three of expansion
Change of focus on targeting
Integrated Family Support Teams
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Strengthen support to the most vulnerable
families
Set out in legislation – Children and Families
(Wales) Measure 2010
Sets out arrangements for greater collaboration
across agencies
Breaks down barriers between agencies
Operating in pilot areas – RCT/Merthyr, Newport
and Wrexham
Expanding to SW Wales and Powys – also
Cardiff and Vale
Information sheet available –
IFST@wales.gsi.gov.uk