1'8 Supporting families with multiple and complex needs

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1.8 Supporting families with multiple and
complex needs
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Supporting families with multiple and complex
needs
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Some parental characteristics and family
circumstances are strong predictors of future
problems
Parental drug misuse

• Parental problem drug use associated with
  neglect, poverty, physical or emotional abuse,
  separation and exposure to criminal behaviour
• 2-3 of children have a parent misusing Class A
  drugs

• Alcohol misuse identified as a factor in 50 of
  all child protection cases
• 1.3m children live with parents who misuse
  alcohol

Alcohol misuse

• 25 children witnessing domestic violence have
  serious social and behavioural problems
• Estimates suggest at least 240,000 children
  exposed to DV

Domestic violence

• 63 of boys with convicted fathers go on to be
  convicted themselves
• children of prisoners have 3 times the risk for
  mental health problems or delinquent behaviour
  compared to their peers
• During 2005 162,000 children had a parent in
  prison, Around 55 of female offenders have a
  child under 16hildr

Parental offending
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A small minority of families experience multiple
disadvantages
Percentage of families with children experiencing
5 or more disadvantages
2.2
2.1
2
2
1.9

2001
2002
2003
2004
2005

• Basket of indicators of disadvantages includes
• No parent in the family is in work
• Family lives in poor quality or overcrowded
  housing
• No parent has any qualifications
• Mother has mental health problems
• At least one parent has a long-standing limiting
  illness, disability or infirmity
• Family has low income (below 60 median)
• Family cannot afford a number of food and
  clothing items

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For the most challenging families we are
promoting the expansion of the FIP model

• A dedicated key worker with low caseloads who
  works intensively with the whole family
• Taking a whole family perspective to assessment
  and the development of support packages
• Use of a contract setting out the changes that
  are expected, the support that will be provided
  and possible consequences if changes are not made
• The use of persistent and assertive working
  methods
• Effective multi agency arrangements

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FIPs the origins

• Dundee Families Project Action for Children
• The Government anti-social behaviour strategy
• Small proportion of families causing
  disproportionate problems in their communities
• The anti-social behaviour of these families is
  often a result of complex underlying problems
• 2006 Respect Action Plan commitment to set up a
  national network of FIPS
• Initial target of families involved in persistent
  ASB who are at risk of losing their homes

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Levels of ASB were considerably lower for all
forms of ASB reported at the end of the
intervention compared to the beginning
Anti-social behaviour problems identified by FIP
staff at assessment and exit stage
Disregard for community/personal well being e.g
nuisance behaviour
Environmental damage
Misuse of public space e.g drug/substance misuse

• 46 of families at Assessment had 4 or more ASB
  problems
• This fell to 5 per cent by the Planned Exit

Acts directed at people e.g intimidation and
harassment
Base 681 families who have been exited the
intervention.
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Results show that the outcomes for families
ending the intervention with a formal planned
exit, compared with their situation at the
beginning of the project are overwhelmingly
positive across a wide range of measures (Natcen
monitoring report, Nov 2009)
Risk factors at point of referral
Domestic Violence
Risk factors at point of exit
Truancy, exclusion and bad behaviour at school
Child Protection
Lack of basic numeracy and literacy
Relationship breakdown
Low educational attainment
Family debt
Inappropriate peer groups
Poor Parenting
Breaks down into the following
Education and Learning problems
Base 681 families who have been exited the
intervention.
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The FIP model is being significantly expanded

• Child poverty FIPs
• Youth Crime Action Plan funding - a FIP in every
  LA
• Current delivery
• 173 FIPs delivering support to families (76 new
  FIPs since April)
• 528 key workers in post, 780 expected by March
  2010
• 2,400 families supported since April (end of
  year target 3,666)
• New directions
• PM Conference speech commitment - 26m package of
  additional funding to extend FIPs to 10,000
  families a year until 2015/16

We need to focus on the one in twenty young
people who commit half of all youth crime. These
are the families whose children are disrupting
the classrooms, or worse, roaming the streets
committing crime. We will expand successful
family interventions to an estimated 20,000
families, increase support for those who need it,
but in return, tough sanctions, including
eviction, if they do not respond. 15 July 2008
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Youth Crime Family Intervention ProjectSally
TaylorProject Manager
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Referral

• Family H was referred to the project in March
  2009.
• Mum has 5 children between the ages of 18 years
  and 2 years.
• K is 18 years old and a PPO.
• KH is 17 years old and involved in offending
  behaviour. He has previously served a custodial
  sentence.
• The family were identified via the MAPPOM and
  FARAM process.

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Assessment

• Mum has a long history of having relationships
  involving domestic violence.
• Her previous partner was released on licence from
  custody for a drug related offence.
• The 3 youngest children are involved with CYPS
  and subject to a Child protection Plan.
• Rules and boundaries within the household were
  not in place.
• Mother was suspected of using drugs and
  prostituting herself.
• The 12 year old was not attending school.
• KHs offending behaviour was increasing.
• Mum had formed another relationship involving
  domestic violence.
• A behaviour contract was agreed following the
  assessment and regularly reviewed at the core
  group as part of the Child protection Plan.

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Intervention

• The keyworker engaged the 12 year old back into
  education. Continuous liaison.
• During an unannounced home visit mum had a black
  eye which required 5 stitches. Due to being
  supported/encouraged by the keyworker Mum spoke
  to the police and reported the incident.
• Mum had been assaulted by her previous partner.
• The partner was arrested and recalled back to
  custody for 28 days as he had breached his
  licence conditions.
• Since the YC FIP involvement mum felt able to
  report the incident and work positively with the
  police.
• The keyworker has built a good relationship with
  the local police officer. He now attends regular
  review meetings.
• KH was offending on a different patch to his home
  address. The keyworker liaised with another
  police officer and was able to gain access to
  KHs offending behaviour and his associates. The
  other local police team were able to get vital
  information about the family from the Keyworker
  that they would otherwise not have access to.
• The family were discussed at the MARAC.
• The keyworker was able to refer mum to the
  appropriate domestic violence services.
• Individual support sessions have been achieved
  with Mum, KH, K and the 12 year old, covering a
  variety of issues.
• KH has been supported to access further
  education.

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Outcomes

• Information sharing agreement in place between
  Leicester YC FIP and Leicestershire Police.
• Secure email system in place so that data can be
  shared between the YC FIP and police colleagues.
• Joint agency working with police colleagues
  enabled them to have access to family information
  that is vital. They would not have gain this if
  the YC FIP had not been involved as KH was not
  offending in his own area.
• Mum was able to report an incident of domestic
  violence. This resulted in the ex-partner being
  recalled to custody.
• The keyworker was able to gain access to KHs
  offending behaviour and associates.
• The 12 year old and KH are re-engaged in
  education.