Presentation on Development of Family Support Hubs 7 September 2012

1. Presentation on Development of Family Support Hubs 7 September 2012 Pat Armstrong Helen Dunn Maurice J. Leeson

2. What is a Family Support Hub A Family Support Hub is a multi-agency network of statutory, voluntary and community organizations that either provide early intervention services or work with families who need early intervention services. The network accepts referrals of families who need early intervention family support and uses their knowledge of local service providers and the Family Support Database (www.familysupportni.gov.uk) to signpost families with specific needs to appropriate services.

4. Purpose of Family Support Hubs • To improve access to early intervention family support services by matching the needs of referred families to family support providers • To improve coordination of early intervention family support services by creating a collaborative network of providers • To improve awareness of family support services • To assess the level of unmet need for early intervention family support services and inform the relevant Outcomes Group

5. Hub Participants • Determined by local need and availability of organisations to respond to that need • Typically includes • Education • HSC Trusts • Health visiting and Social Care • Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services • Community and Voluntary Sector • Youth Justice Agency • PSNI • Councils • Neighbourhood Renewal • Child Maintenance Enforcement Division

6. Structures and Links CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE’S STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP SAFEGUARDING BOARD NI REGIONAL THEMED GROUPS eg Families Matter Implementation Group, Young Carers, Disability Northern, Western, Southern, Belfast, South Eastern, OUTCOMES BOARDS CHILD CARE PARTNERSHIPS Family Support Hub LOCALITY PLANNING GROUPS

7. Hub Development • An emerging model-Different times/different places/different opportunities-no single organisational form • Common core characteristics-linked by common purpose and agreement on defining characteristics of effective family support • Opportunity to establish what elements of model should be fixed and what aspects can vary from place to place

8. Developments to date-Southern Outcomes Group area • 3 Hubs covering the Outcomes group area and all went ‘live’ in April 2012 • Moving to a model of Community Voluntary Sector leadership • Steering group established • Mission statement- Family Support Hubs are made up of organisations from the community, voluntary and statutory sector. The organisations work together to support families who are experiencing difficulty. We do this by offering a family support service either directly from a member of the Hub or by directing them to another local organisation best placed to offer help. We believe in strengthening families by working with them to help them develop the skills to sort out their own difficulties.

9. Developments to date-South Eastern Outcomes Board Area • 3 Hubs operating covering the Outcomes Group area • Build on existing panels created in 2009 • Statutory (Trust) led • Steering group established

10. Developments to Date-Belfast Outcomes Group Area • Initial mapping work on existing partnerships to contribute to decision making on where Hubs could be developed • Supported by consultation process across the city facilitated by area partnerships • Sub group of Outcomes group established to take forward the development of Family Support Hubs

11. Developments to Date - Western Outcomes Group • 7 Hubs at different stages of development and all operational. 5 in Northern sector and 2 in Southern sector • Started in 2010 • Leadership is by CVS with some joint CVS/Statutory • 2 broad approaches to Hub development • Health and Social Care model • Community development model

12. Location of Family Support Hubs in Western Outcomes Area Creggan Family Support Hub Ethos Family Support Hub – Shantallow Waterside Family Support Hub Dungiven/Limavady Family Support Hub Strabane Family Support Hub Omagh Family Support Hub Enniskillen Family Support Hub Developmental Phase

13. Core Objective The core objective of Family Support Hubs is to enhance awareness, communication, connectedness and, critically, the co-ordination of Family Support Services in local areas with an emphasis on Early Intervention and Prevention.

14. Governance LOCALITY PLANNING GROUP WESTERN OUTCOMES GROUP PROJECT BOARD – TRUST HUB CO-ORDINATORS FORUM – “TERMS OF REFERENCE” FAMILY CENTRES FAMILY SUPPORT HUBS SAFE GUARDING GATEWAY FIS 10 STANDARDS MANAGEMENT COMMITTEES STEERING GROUPS

15. Family Support Hubs – Positive Change in 3 Outcome Areas • The extent to which outcomes for children, young people and families have been improved; • Whether or not partner agencies and discipline consider that the Hub has improved their ability to work more effectively with children and their families; • The added value of the Hub, e.g. improving families access to existing services.

16. Northern Area • Family Support Task Group • Well established Locality Groups • Larne /Carrickfergus pilot • Preliminary information sharing • Examining other models • Establishing a core membership

17. Developments to Date-Northern Outcomes Group Area • 1st Hub live since September 2011 -Larne/Carrickfergus • 2nd Hub live in Ballymena since June 2012 • 3rd Hub in development for Magherafelt and Cookstown • 4th Hub planned for Coleraine/ Ballymoney and Moyle • 5th Hub for Newtownabbey – March 2013 • Plan at present is for Community or Voluntary sector lead

18. Principles / Standards

19. From Assessment to Action

20. Family Support Hubs to Children and Young Peoples Strategic PartnershipVision & Mission Vision: • Families in the Carrickfergus and Larne area will have access to the support they need when they need it. Mission: • To provide support to families and children in the Carrickfergus and Larne area by working together as a coalition of agencies to provide early intervention services.

21. Larne/Carrick Locality Group ACTION PLAN Larne/Carrick Hub Network ACTIVE Prepared for Action

22. LARNE / CARRICKERGUS FAMILY SUPPORT HUB NETWORK • Contents Page • SECTION • Page 1 Vision • Mission • Page 2 Terms of Reference • Page 3 Aims and Objective • Page 4 Membership • Page 5 Partnership Agreement • Page 6 Referral Process • Page 7 Hub Network Development Group • Page 8 Interface with Other Groups • Page 9 Family Support Database • Page 10 Service User Feedback • Page 11 Thresholds • Page 12 Recommendations • Vision: Families in the Carrickfergus and Larne area will have access to the support they need when they need it. • Mission: To provide support to families and children in the Carrickfergus and Larne area by working together as a coalition of agencies to provide early intervention services. • FAMILY SUPPORT HUB NETWORK • TERMS OF REFERENCE:- • The Family Support Hub Network will act as a co-ordination point for service delivery partners. • Ensure referrals are appropriately co-ordinated and allocated in line with the agreed referral criteria. • Implement the 10 key principles / standards that underpins the Family Support Model (see appendix 1). • To promote effective working relationships between statutory, voluntary and community partners. • Develop referral and assessment tools. • Develop a common approach to the evaluation of Outcomes for Children and Families. • Review the Hub Network on a 6 monthly basis initially. • Ensure implementation of the Regional Child Protection Policy and Procedures. • Ensure implementation of the Information Sharing Protocol. • Ensure the promotion of the Family Support Hub Network. • Ensure the Hub Network links to Families matter Regional Implementation group. • Report on the progress of the Hub Network to the Northern Outcomes group. • FAMILY SUPPORT HUB NETWORK • AIMS AND OBJECTIVES • To work together as a coalition of agencies in order to improve accessibility to family support services. • To accept referrals from the Gateway Team for families who do not meet the threshold for Statutory Intervention during the lifetime of the pilot phase. • To meet to identify if the needs of the children and families referred can be met by agencies represented on the Hub Network. • Identify 1 or more agencies who can support the family. • Work in partnership with families to build resilience. • Establish baselines to track outcomes. • To monitor and evaluate the interventions. • To engage the local community in the understanding and development of the Family Support Hub Network. • Ensure the views of children, young people and families are listened to, heard and incorporated. • Membership • Partnership Agreement • Vision: Families in the Carrickfergus and Larne area will have access to the support they need when they need it. • Mission: To provide support to families and children in the Carrickfergus and Larne area by working together as a coalition of agencies to provide early intervention services. • ________________________ agrees to become members of the Larne / Carrickfergus Family Support Hub Network. • Regular attendance at Meetings • Provide a quality service • Receive referrals through the Hub Network • Open to sharing information about all aspects of their service • Open to service users feedback • Have Safeguarding Policies in place • Adhere to the information sharing protocols • Agree to work collaboratively with other organisations / agencies on a basis of mutual trust and respect. • Work in partnership with service users. • Signed on behalf of: _____________________________________ • Referral Process Associate Members of the Hub Community Group Interface with other Panels Community Schools Area Behaviour Support Teams NHSCT Resource Panel Safety Partnership FE Colleges ASBO Forum MARAC Family Support Database As previously circulated. HUB Development Group CSP Locality Groups Youth Diversion Fora Information Sharing Leaflet • Service User Feedback Guidelines • Find opportunities to ensure feedback from service users: forms, group work. • Ensure a complaints \ compliments procedures exists. • Provide a range of supports for those with • Reading and writing difficulties • Needing help with interpretation • Are very young and have a disability • Implement improvements to the service when appropriate. • Thresholds Referral from Gateway Completed referral form received Unocini where appropriate Referral meets Criteria Referral logged at Hub Referral discussed at Hub Meeting Referral to Appropriate Agency NFA Agency engages with family Family refuses Service Gateway Team Informed Family takes up service Case Closed Evaluation completed Referral back to the Hub Feedback to Gateway Team Associate Members of the Hub Community Group Schools • Recommendations • A Family Support Hub Network Co-ordinator. • Administrative Support to the Co-ordinator. • Clear and robust partnership arrangements. • A central co-ordination point – specific geographic location. • Core group of 12 – 16 service delivery partners. • An associate members group who do not always attend meetings but are committed to service delivery. • Regular review of terms of reference, partnership delivery, safeguarding and quality assurance. • Family Support Database – internet access. • Access to funds – Article 18. • I.T. training. • Consent forms \ leaflets • Appendix 1 • KEY DEFINING CHARACTERISTICS OF FAMILY SUPPORT (FAMILY SUPPORT AS REFLECTIVE PRACTICE; PINKERTON, DOLAN, CANAVAN 2006) • Partnership Based • Needs Led • Focus on the Wishes, Feelings, Safety and Well being of Children/Young People • Strengths Based • Accessible and Flexible • Strengthen Informal Support Networks • Multi access Referral Paths • Involvement of Service Users, and Providers in the Planning, Delivery and valuation of Services • Promote Social Inclusion • Measure Success through Outcomes and Demonstrate Quality

23. Action for Children : Extended Schools Hub - Waterside • Funded by WHSCB • Extended Schools Cluster • 8 Primary School • 3 Post Primary Schools • Referrals – Pastoral Care Co-ordinators • Assessment – Intervention – Hub Partners • Hub Group – Bi-monthly Steering Group 75% referrals from schools 20% referrals from Gateway 15% referrals from other – CAMHS, HV