Department for Education launches first wave of ‘Families First for Children’ pilot
The Department for Education (DfE) has revealed that Dorset, Lincolnshire and Wolverhampton are the first three areas to be chosen to deliver the ‘Families First for Children’ programme, to test recommendations taken forward from the Care Review.
The programme is designed to “test new ways to reform every part of the children’s social care system, helping children to stay with their families in safe and loving homes, whilst protecting vulnerable children where needed”, said the DfE.
Separately, Brighton and Hove, Sunderland, Gateshead, Telford and Wrekin, Staffordshire, Hartlepool and Hammersmith and Fulham have been chosen to deliver ‘Family Network’ pilots “to find transformative ways to involve wider family members in supporting parents so that children can stay at home with their families”.
The two programmes, funded by £45m collectively, are part of the government’s children’s social care implementation strategy, Stable Homes, Built on Love, which responds to recommendations made in the Independent Review of Children’s Social Care, led by Josh MacAlister.
The Department for Education has also encouraged local authorities to apply to set up regional care co-operatives.
Children, Families and Wellbeing Minister, Claire Coutinho, said: “We committed earlier this year to deliver wide-ranging reforms that put strong relationships at the heart of the children’s social care system, to make sure children in care receive the same love and stability as everyone else.
“The programme they are running will inform future reform across England to give every child the best possible chance to grow up in their family, delivering on the Prime Minister’s ambition to support families across the country.”
Commenting on the launch of the pilots, ADCS President, John Pearce, said: “The launch of the wave one Family First for Children pathfinder and the Family Network pilot is a positive step and will build on some of the great work already taking place across the country. I am sure that the local authorities involved will be eager to begin their work co-designing and testing new ways of working that will hopefully strengthen how we support children and their families.”
He added: “During this period of pathfinding and piloting it is crucial that real-time progress and learning is shared with the sector to help other local authorities implement the reforms in the future. The earlier we work with, and provide support to, vulnerable children and families to help them overcome the issues they face, and to stay together safely where possible the less impact these challenges will have on their lives but also on society. While the investment announced today is welcome, we continue to need a long-term equitable funding solution for children’s services so that all children and families can thrive, wherever they live.”
An LGA spokesperson said: “We are pleased to see that the Government has listened to concerns from councils about Regional Care Cooperatives and committed to taking an incremental approach to building the evidence for these, focussing first on those areas councils have emphasised are likely to make the most difference to children most quickly.
“We remain concerned however that additional funding for children’s social care reform is significantly lower than that recommended by the Independent Review of Children’s Social Care, and that this will largely benefit only the small number of areas taking part in pathfinders.
“Significant additional funding for all councils, not just those in pathfinder areas, can be wisely invested in stabilising the current system to ensure strong foundations on which to build future reform.”
Brighton and Hove, Sunderland, Gateshead and Telford and Wrekin started their Family Network pilots last month (July), and Staffordshire, Hartlepool and Hammersmith and Fulham are expected to start in spring 2024, the DfE revealed.
Lottie Winson
