An Introduction to Troubled Families and the Family Recovery Project

1. An Introduction to Troubled Families and the Family Recovery Project Michele Harris Michael Grant Wandsworth Children’s Services

2. What does the FRP do? • works with families where change has been limited even with multi-agency support . • persistently supports and intervenes with families who are at risk of losing their children, home and/or liberty. • improves the experience of both the family and the communities in which they live. • works in a targeted and phased way to support a family’s capacity for change and to embed and sustain change.

3. Intensive outreach workers Personal advisor (JC+) Health Visitor Police officers Adult mental health social worker Prison advice and care trust worker Tenancy Support Worker Independent Domestic Violence Advocate Substance Misuse Worker Information Analysts FRP Support Officer Psychologist The FRP Team: co-located and multi-agency

4. The FRP Approach (1) • Whole view of the family • Team around the family (TAF) • Integrated Family Care Plan – adult and children’s needs – focused on key areas • TAF integrates with existing CP planning • Quick information through Information Desk • Capacity building

5. The FRP Approach (2) • Intensive working 3-4 visits a week –fast, intensive, outcome focussed • Regular 3 weekly reviews – highlighting any risk, performance against Care Plan • Outcomes and consequences – speedy decision making – relevant professionals in the team • Closure – Step down (usually after 12 months)

6. The Information Desk • Draws together information from a number of sources to provide a rounded view of the family unique to FRP. • Provides an accurate and up to date summary (the Family Intelligence report) of all relevant family information, highlighting presenting issues or risks, flagging any intelligence gaps. • Informs the initial TAF and Care Plan. • Updates workers as new information received. • Records outcomes.

7. Using information creatively

8. The defining feature of family intervention is a focus on family functioning

9. Understanding the families and all their complexity The Harris Family

10. Rather than just ‘thinking family’ -’doing family’

11. Adult Mental Health • No thresholds to receive a service • Undertake Adult Mental Health Assessments involving social, environmental, family and mental health history, risk assessment and recommendations. • Referrals to other agencies: GP, adult psychiatry and psychology, CMHT. • Provide consultation to the FRP/TF Team

12. Adult Mental Health Cont’d • Range of mental health issues: from low-mood and anxiety, to severe depression and suicidal ideations. • Direct work with individual(s) –one-to-one supportive counselling; working on self-esteem; monitoring mental state; encouraging medication taking and advocating on their behalf.

13. Family Functioning from Adult Mental Health Perspective • Look at Family functioning from Prevention, Early Intervention and Protection perspectives • What stops the individual (s) from functioning? • What is the chaos telling us?

14. Case Studies Family One - This family comprises of Mum and Dad who are in their late 20s, three sons aged 5 – 10 years old and a daughter (4 years old). Mum and Dad are not married but have been in a long term relationship for 14 years. Mum has disclosed since working with FRP that she is 3 months pregnant. The family live together in a local authority property near Wandsworth Town Centre. • All four children have recently been placed under Child Protection by Children’s Services for the following reasons: • Serious injury suffered by one of the boys in the family home which involved a fractured skull and possible brain bleed. • Concern regarding the boys school attendance. • Concerns regarding the boys travelling to school unaccompanied • A multitude of other problems exist within the family: • Dad has a history of depression and mental illness. • Both Mum and Dad do not work and have some problems with reading and writing. • High rent arrears. • Mum has a suspected history of drug abuse. • The children have outstanding immunisations and a number of minor health issues. • The children are prone to accident and injury at home. • Low level crime committed by both Mum and Dad although nothing recent. • The whole family including the wider extended family have a history of Children’s Services involvement going back decades.

15. Case Studies Family Two - This family comprises of Mother who is 37 years old. She has three children aged 16y, 15y and 9y. She and her ex-partner (children’s father) met when they were both in care. They had two older children but due to neglect and physical injuries were removed and subsequently adopted. • Mum’s sister had three children all were removed. • The two younger children are subject to Child Protection Plans due to neglect and emotional abuse. • There are a number of reports from police, NSPCC and social services: • Older child was on child protection register due to physical harm for a number of years • Older child now pregnant with low mood and suicidal ideation • Condition of the home – filthy, human and animal faeces on the living room floor • Domestic violence between Mum and ex-partner • Health of the children of concern. Outstanding immunisations, missed hospital appointments • Poor school attendance, exclusions, truanting of middle child. Diagnosis of ADHD, Hyperkinetic Disorder, behavioural and learning difficulties. Also involved in crime. • Mum’s inability to prioritise her children’s needs • Mum’s current partner poses a risk to children • Mum had an adverse childhood in which she suffered neglect and abuse.

16. Case Studies Family 1 Update since Family Recovery Project involvement: • All 4 children removed from Child Protection Plans as no longer deemed necessary. • Both parents attended Strengthening Families Strengthening Communities (SFSC) which is a parenting class once a week focusing on improving parenting skills. • School attendance has improved for all three of the children whom attend school, from an average of 83.6% to currently 100% attendance for all children. • As well as the attendance improving, the children’s punctuality at school has also improved. • This is largely attributed to the intensive support provided by the team in creating a workable and better early morning and evening routines. • No Police call outs since project involvement (3 in the 12 months prior to the project’s involvement) • The family has significant rent arrears from a previous address, which they are now paying off and is reducing – reduction of £153 after 3 months. • Family moved to a house. • Children’s Specialist Services closing the case.

17. Case Studies Family 2 Update since Family Recovery Project involvement: • Physical environment totally transformed • School attendance for children currently 100% • Immunisations up to date • Home cooked food • No police call outs • Parenting programme • Older child attending all ante-natal appointments • Children removed from CP Plans • Mum starting course • Mum’s current partner does not visit the home