Early help – some signals and examples

Nick Page18 March 2013

Early intervention is intervening early and as soon as possible to tackle problems emerging for children, young people and their families, or with a population most at risk of developing problems.

Early intervention is a process and may occur at any point in a child or young person’s life.

Grasping the Nettle, C4E0, 2010

Early identification and provision of help is in the child’s best interest and multi-agency services which deliver support for families are vital in promoting children’s wellbeing.

The Munro Review of Child Protection, 2011

Early Intervention

• Lots of examples of early help

• Operates differently across the public sector, and within systems

• Not always evidenced backed

• Seen as one of the big money saving ideas, but.........

Why Early Years? The case for change• 40% of children in GM were not school ready in 2012. GM is below the national average

and on a deteriorating trajectory.

• Clear evidence that poor early experiences => poor trajectory academically, socially and physically => poor outcomes for individuals and high costs for the State.

• Improving school readiness will drive future attainment, levels of economic activity and productivity - contributing to prosperity of GM.

• Current Early Years services cost £300m pa. But we spend at least as much again on failure (special educational needs, anti-social behaviour…)

• Focus on children in their Early Years and their families has significant potential to boost growth in GM and reduce demand long-term on public services.

Principles of the Early Years New Delivery Model

• Approach taking the whole child within the whole family • Integrated across sectors - health, local govt, day care providers• Early identification of need and risk factors through timely assessments points• Evidence-based approach to assessment and intervention• Ensuring maximum VFM for the taxpayer • Emphasis throughout on work and skills for both children and parents (linking with Universal

Credit).

What is Helping Families?

• Salford’s Helping Families programme is a targeted and joined up approach to supporting families with multiple problems. 

• Through Helping Families, the City Council and its partners are working together to help families improve economic prosperity; raise aspirations and achievement; make a positive contribution to a safe and stable living environment; and improve long-term life chances for the whole family. 

• Helping Families will deliver Salford's commitment to the Department for Communities and Local Government Troubled Families programme; to engage and support 835 'troubled families' over the next three years. 

How are we helping families?Helping Families will build on what we know works for families in Salford. That means focused, personalised support for the whole family that draws on the expertise of a multi-agency Team Around the Family and is co-ordinated by a person that the family trusts.

Overall EIP Numbers• Over 2012/13 to date there have been 3,592

requests for EIP services*• Averaging 399 per month

• 951 CAFs currently active• 1,133 open Education Welfare cases• 232 active Family Support cases• 55 Parenting courses held• 77 Family Group Conferences held• Central locality had the highest number of

requests at 38% followed by South at 27% over Quarters 1-3

Social Care – EIP cases (Open cases at Jan 2013)

*Does not include Children’s Centres as this data is currently recorded on a separate system

Only 2.9% of referrals to EIP are re-referrals

2011/12 80% of 0-5s were registered at a Salford Children’s Centre and 49% have attended an event at a Children’s Centre

Thresholds of Need

48% down the thresholds

42% maintained at the same threshold

10% up the thresholds

Threshold of Need at referral point

Movement on Threshold of Need PRE and POST EIP support*

*Based on all closed cases 2012/13 to date

Issues and opportunities• A number of risks have already been identified in Salford, that we are looking to address

in order to maximise the Public Service Reform benefits of the early help, which include:

 – The need for an intelligent and integrated ICT system to identify and case manage

families – Consistent data sharing and management processes to support integrated working– Shared accountability and regulatory frameworks to drive integrated working– Whole public sector approach to resource planning and allocation, including

commissioning.– Workforce reform to engender integrated working, moving towards more

generic/homogenous roles– Communications strategy underpin workforce reform and help unfreeze resistance

to change

 • In order to make sustainable changes, the focus needs to shift from a reactive agenda

of turning around the “failing issues” to a more preventative agenda focussed on early help.

Salford approach: improving the way we do business through cooperation and integration

Integrated delivery of effective

interventions

Systems and organisational

cultureJoint investment

Joining up our investments

Strategic relationships and new governance

(HWBB)

Joining up delivery for

families

Reforms to intelligence, information

(JSNA) management,

workforce capability etc...