Towards a proactive
approach to family support
Jamie Reed MP, Member of UCLan APSU
Dr Rick Wylie, Executive Director of UCLan APSU
Helen Mitchell and Tracey Kendall of the Howgill Family Centre
Applied Policy Sciences Unit
In this session
• the problem in
context
– case 1
• the approach and
method
– case 2
• Applied Policy
Science…
Applied Policy Science
• an approach to understanding and solving
problems
• emphasis on comprehending problems in
context in order
• to develop recommendations that are both
realistic and desirable
• for almost two decades at Westlakes
– risk, communities, opinion, values, beliefs
– resilience…
The problem… wider than child poverty
• There are currently 3.6 million
children living in poverty in the
UK
• That’s almost a third of all
children. 1.6 million of these
children live in severe poverty
• In the UK 58% of children living in
poverty are in a family where
someone works
• Only half as many poor children
who are eligible for Free School
Meals achieved 5 or more A*-C
grades at GCSE or equivalent
compared to pupils not eligible
http://www.barnardos.org.uk/what_we_do/our_projects/child_pov
erty/child_poverty_what_is_poverty/child_poverty_statistics_facts.
htm
• Approximately 15,000
children under 16 live in
income deprived
households in Cumbria
• A child born and growing up
in Moss Bay (Allerdale) can
expect to live nearly 20
years less than someone in
Greystoke (Eden)
– a community which is just
30 miles away but where
average incomes are much
higher
Cumbria Anti-Poverty Strategy 2011
The new project
• a partnership between Howgill Family Centre
and UCLan at Westlakes
• under the auspices of UCLan’s APSU
• a proactive approach
– resilience
• adversities
• positive adaptation
Resilience
• Not a personality trait, nor an attribute of the individual
• A dynamic process, individuals display
– positive adaptation despite experience of significant adversities
or risk
– competence despite severe adversity
• A two-dimensional construct that implies
– exposure to risks and adversities; and
– manifestation of positive adaptation
Adversities
• adversity [ədˈvɜːsɪtɪ] n pl -ties
– 1. distress; affliction; hardship
– 2. an unfortunate event or incident
• also referred to as risks
• negative life circumstances that are known to be
statistically associated with adjustment difficulties
– chronic exposure to community violence
Positive adaptation
• Behaviourally manifested social competence
• Success in meeting stage-salient development
tasks
• e.g. among older children…
– good academic performance
– positive relationship with classmates and teachers
Adversity/Risk
High
Negative
adaptation
Positive
adaptation
Adversity/Risk
Low
Adversity/Risk
High
Negative
adaptation
Positive
adaptation
Adversity/Risk
Low
Adversity/Risk
High
Interventions
Negative
adaptation
Positive
adaptation
Adversity/Risk
Low
Vulnerabilities and protective factors
• Vulnerability factors - exacerbate the negative
effects of the risk or adversity
– e.g. mental health
• Protective factors modify the effects of risk or
adversity in a positive direction
– e.g. stable relationships
Adversity/Risk
High
Protective factors
Interventions
Vulnerabilities
Negative
adaptation
Positive
adaptation
Adversity/Risk
Low
Case Study
• Background of family
• Needs identified
• Work/Groups/Family Support/Volunteer put
in place
• Dealing with current issues - adversities
• What the future holds – Applied Policy Science
Howgill Family Passport Project
Referred by:
Children’s Services-Family Support Worker
Other agencies involved at referral;
• Children’s Services
• Addaction
• School
Family make-up;
Mum 32 Dad 30, Child 1 – 11yrs Child 2 – 8yrs Child 3 – 5yrs
Background;
Family home (social housing) was raided by Police in March 2012 for drug
offences whilst all family present. History of other drug offences on Dad
with 2 custodial sentences spent. Both parents have a history of drug &
alcohol abuse. Mum has mental health diagnosis. History of Domestic
Violence between parents.
Background continued…
Child 3 displaying very angry/violent behaviour at school & home
towards others. School having to put own resources in for 1:1 support.
Child 2 presenting with some odd behaviour so Play Therapy was
first requested.
Mum made an attempt on own life.
Scenario;
Family Support was then requested in September 2012. Family qualifies for
Family Passport area. Howgill Intensive Family Support Worker initially visits
Mum who is very guarded & anxious. Dad received a 3rd custodial sentence &
subsequently removed from the home to HMP. Mum left isolated to cope
with 3 children all with differing needs. Mum also battling own mental health
demons. No real family or friendship support for Mum due to own family
issues.
What is working against the family;
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
History of drug & alcohol abuse
Mental health issue
Mum’s attempt on own life
Dad in prison
Police action on Mum
Tenancy breached
History of Domestic Violence
Debt
Children presenting with behavioural issues in School & home
Interventions put in place through partnership working;
• Howgill Intensive Family Support Worker
• Howgill Play Therapist – to work with whole family
in home setting
• Howgill Family Finance Advisor
• Howgill Playscheme
• Howgill Family Trips
• Howgill Triple P - To be completed now Dad is out of HMP – remains on license – Not
fully integrated back into the home yet
• Children’s Services - Family Support Social Worker
• School meetings with all agencies involved with the family
• Educational Psychologist
• CAMHS – Assessment for Child 3/ Play therapy now offered as no underlying health
issue found
• Home Group Stonham – Tenancy support
• Cumbria County Council – General Advisor
• A 2nd School in another locality for Child 3 to receive most appropriate resources for
their needs
• Statutory Assessment underway
Case now moved to a CAF
Resilience factors;
Positive Adaptations
• Children – A need to be a better parent for them
• Support from a trusted person – Howgill Intensive Family
Support Worker
• Motivation, Reassurance & confidence building
• Sounding board – person to talk to, cry at, scream at
• Encouraged self reflection & thinking about what Mum
wants for the family or from life
• Clarity of whole picture
• Recognised the need for changes
• Wanting to change for the better & to have a
stable/settled family
It occurred to us…
• Can we learn from past interventions?
• Can we be proactive?
• Are risks categorically different to adversities?
A Risk Society?
•
•
•
•
•
a fear of the future
uninsurable
beyond boundaries - scale
beyond capacity - scope
in families – some risk increasing…
–
–
–
–
contractorisation of employment: low pay/no-pay
disembedding – family, traditions
anxiety, stress
individualisation – decline of welfare state
• a certain category of risk, not danger, not selfimposed…
November 2009 Floods
• 1,300 homes flooded
• £276.5m of damage
done
• 110 farms suffered
severe damage
• Water levels reached
2.5m (over 8ft) in
Cockermouth
• November 17-20 rainfall
Crossings House, Workington on 28 Feb 2010
Shanghai's Jin Mao Tower 88 stories 1,174 feet (358 m)
New risks
• fear of the future
• imposed
• inform action in the here and now
• insidious - subtle, with harmful effects
• individualised
• invisible (to much of society)
Towards a new approach
• positives
• new interventions
• proactive
• identify what’s good and build on it
rather than identify what’s bad and
attempt to deal with it
High Adversity
Protective factors
Interventions
Vulnerabilities
Low Adversity
Negative
adaptation
Low Risk
High Risk
Positive
adaptation
High Adversity
Protective factors
Interventions
Vulnerabilities
Low Adversity
Negative
adaptation
Low Risk
The Project
High Risk
Positive
adaptation
High Adversity
Learning
Low Adversity
Negative
adaptation
Low Risk
Applying
High Risk
Positive
adaptation
Family Finance
• The role of Diane Kenmare – Howgill Family
Finance Officer
• Helping families create manageable
household budgets
• How to pay off debt
• Educating families about available benefits
and grants
Universal Credit
A new single payment for people who are
looking for work or on a low income
• Launched in 2013 to replace: Jobseekers
allowance, income support, child tax credits, working
tax credits, housing benefits….
Supporters and Critics
Supporters hope it will reduce in-work poverty
by making it easier for people to move in and
out of work and put an end to people being
trapped on benefits. The government hopes
Universal Credit will cut welfare costs and
prevent fraud, errors and discrepancies by
creating a streamlined system
Supporters and Critics
Critics of Universal Credit worry that it may
leave single people and families worse off.
Howgill’s particular area of concern is the single
monthly payment.
For those receiving a low income, there may be
a lot more month left at the end of their money.
This could trigger a proliferation of pay day loans
and would leave vulnerable people worse off.
How can Howgill help?
• Identifying vulnerable families to stop them
going into the ‘risk area’
• Helping claimants with applications
• Using proactive interventions
• Building good relationships to avoid families
spiralling into debt
Towards a proactive
approach to family support
Jamie Reed MP, Member of UCLan APSU
Dr Rick Wylie, Executive Director of UCLan APSU
Helen Mitchell and Tracey Kendall of the Howgill Family Centre
Applied Policy Sciences Unit