SOLASFAMILY INTERVENTION and PREVENTION PROJECT

Who are the SOLAS Family Intervention Project?And why do we exist?

“Troubled Families”

The SOLAS Family Intervention and Prevention Project (FIPP) was established in 2010 to reduce anti social behaviour in households were the behaviour was so challenging that the family were at risk of either losing their home and/or children were at risk of being accommodated by the local authority.

The service offers intensive and holistic support to families who are in crisis.We work with the hardest to reach families who currently cost statutory services huge amounts in agency time, care and criminal proceedings, police call outs, evictions, legal proceedings etc. If problems are unaddressed the cost to agencies of long term intergenerational problems is on such a scale it’s hard to quantify.

Our model of working with a multi skilled staff team significantly reduces the need for ongoing involvement of other services. However the main cost effectiveness is demonstrated by the significant change in the direction of the families’ futures, preventing their problems escalating and reducing the burden on publicly funded services at a time of increasing cost pressures.

CURRENT FUNDERS

The service is a joint Charter Housing and SOLAS project and is currently funded by a mixture of local authorities and social landlords.

Why FIPP is INNOVATIVEConcentrates on ‘family led recovery’, working alongside families to achieve what they see as important. When success is defined by families (rather than professionals) they feel motivated to achieve their goals

Builds meaningful relationships to promote family autonomy

Facilitates effective multi-agency working

It can be creative and flexible with its deployment and use of resources. Staff have small caseloads and work flexibly when needed by the family; families are supported on average 9 hours a week as long as they need it, this can be for up to two years for some.

Phase 16 Weeks

Intensive Phase

10-12 hours per week

Phase 26 Weeks to 4 Months

Transitional phase

Up to 6 hours per week

Phase 35 to 10 Months

Maintenance Phase

2-4 hours per week

Phase 410 to 18 months

Optional Phase

2 hours a month, more if needed

TAILORED SUPPORTFreedom Programme Motivational InterviewingAnger management Solution Focussed Brief TherapyChild TherapyRestorative ApproachesParenting Programmes

WHAT WE DO....

Home management skillsBudgeting, benefits and debt support and adviceSetting up daily routinesSupporting regular school attendance – and support for children in the school settingParenting Skills, family relationshipsSupport to attend meetingsBuilding confidence and self-esteemPositive changes to drug and alcohol useHelp and advice on employment and trainingOther help or support that the family may need including referral to other agencies

OUTCOMES FOR FAMILIES

November 2013 to March 201590.5% of children were prevented from being registered on the Child protection Register96% of children were prevented from entering local authority care71% of young people and children accessed appropriate education94%of children and adults were prevented from becoming involved or continuing to engage in ASB and criminal behaviour88% of young people and adults were supported to address Domestic Abuse

Cost effectiveness: FIPP delivers strong value for money generating savings of at least £1.17 million over 3 year (2010 – 2013)

(Cordis Bright, 2013)

Area of saving What these savings include Amount saved

Successful tenancies for 14 families at risk of homelessness/ eviction

Staff and legal costs, security, rent loss, repairs and re-letting. Housing partners incur these costs.

£140,856 in total(£10,061 per

family)

12 of 16 households disengaged from antisocial behaviour

Police time , Youth Offending Service involvement and court appearances

£201,696(£16,808 per

child)

The cost effectiveness of this service was evaluated independently by Cordis Bright in 2013. Below we have illustrated the main conclusions in relation to cost-savings:

Outcomes from one local authority:

Family

s fa

cing

evict

ion

warnin

gs o

r fina

l war

nings

give

n

Family

s inv

olved

in A

SB

Police

inte

rven

iton

Neighb

our c

ompla

ints

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

Before Interveniton

After Intervention

Complexity of the issues:

Physical health issues

mental health issues Domestic violence substance misuse0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

Before interveniton

After Intervention

NEET FAMILIES:

Problems attending education

Employment Social service Involvement

debt concerns0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Before Intervention

After interveniton

Meet a family

Sarah & Adam Wilkinson

Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and your family?Can you describe what life was like when FIPP first met you?What services were already involved with your family?What were your experiences with these services?How was FIPP support different to other services?How did we support you?

The FIPP approach

We worked holistically with the family. This meant working with each individual family member and the family as a whole. We focussed on what the family saw as the key issues whilst ensuring that the needs of statutory agencies already involved with the family were also met. FIPP takes a strength based restorative approach with the families that they work with. This means personal and family boundaries are discussed collaboratively. Everyone is encouraged to take responsibility for their actions and the impact of their actions on themselves, their family and the community. So by building, repairing and maintaining relationships within the family and with other professionals, empathy, understanding and support can be developed.

Discussion

Are now all working within a multi-agency, whole family paradigm.?

What are the remaining challenges in practice? How do we overcome them?