Coram Parents Centre and Families in Focus

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Coram Parents Centreand Families in Focus

• Lucy Draper, Head of Coram Parents Centre

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• Dont drop your principles when the going gets
  tough community-based approaches to working
  with families with complex needs"

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• This workshop includes presentations from two
  South Camden projects working with families who
  some would label hard to reach - including
  children in trouble with the police and families
  where there are child protection concerns.

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• What the two projects have in common is
• - Locally based
• Targeted support within all-inclusive service
• Work based on family strengths
• Respect for families as partners

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• London Borough of Camden19th most deprived
  borough in the country100 different languages
  spoken in Camden schoolsRich and poor living in
  the same borough5,400 lone parents on
  benefit118 asylum-seeking Children in Need

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• South Camden Euston, Somers Town and Kings
  Cross

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• 0-4s in St. Pancras, Somers Town
• and Kings Cross White UK 26 Bangladeshi 31
  Black African 17 Other white 9

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• Building on strengths developing community
  cohesion through family support
• Valerie Wigfall Thomas Coram Research Unit
• Shafiq Malik Families in Focus

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• What is Families in Focus?
• Community based project working with children,
  young people aged 4 16 and their families
• Based on three sites in Camden, two located on
  the estates, the third linked to a number of
  estates. Outreach to families living close by
• Six full time community workers, Project Manager,
  Finance and Administrative Support Officer,
  sessional workers, with an activities budget,
  supported by multi-agency steering group.

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• What are the projects objectives?
• To support children, young people and their
  families in diverse communities to value each
  other and develop communication, mediation and
  problem solving approaches
• To empower children, young people and carers to
  take control of their lives, improving the
  quality of their lives and in turn the quality of
  life of the community

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• Objectives of evaluation
• To determine what works and makes a difference
  for children, young people and families in
  raising aspirations and enhancing their quality
  of life
• To gain a better understanding of the way that
  Families in Focus is working at local level
• To assess the effectiveness of the programme in
  terms of outcomes for young people, their
  families and the wider community
• Every Child Matters
• Respect Action Plan

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• Methodology
• Documentary review
• Interviews face to face and telephone
• project manager and staff
• key stakeholders
• 25 families randomly selected
• 4 families from earlier evaluation
• Work with children and young people
• Young peoples survey
• Focus group
• Photography project

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• Origins of Families in Focus
• Community initiative on one estate following
  youth disorder
• Anti-social behaviour gang fights
• Young children involved
• Many from off the estate
• Established multi-agency working group combine
  enforcement with support and activities
• Area Child Protection Committee, Housing Dept.,
  Play Service

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• How does Families in Focus work?
• Combines intervention and prevention models
• Provides universal services and targeted support
  for children and families
• Very visible, local, accessible, flexible and
  inclusive
• Strengths-based working builds on community and
  family strengths/resilience factors
• Works with the whole family

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What does Families in Focus do?Work with
children and young people Prevention

• After school activities, holiday programmes, off
  site trips, residentials, girls work, sports
  activities, drop-ins, drama workshops
• Parallel lines
• Volunteering training and qualifications
  homework citizenship

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What does Families in Focus do?Work with
children and young people Intervention

• One to one work with children at risk of
  offending
• Referral agency for Camden Town and Holborn Youth
  Inclusion and Support Panels (YISP) and ABA
• Restorative approach
• Additional referrals from other agencies re
  individual young people (schools, SSD, police)

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What does Families in Focus do?Work with
families Prevention

• Family programme coffee mornings for parents,
  parent support groups
• Family trips (e.g. seaside, Kew Gardens, Aqua
  Splash
• Drop-in sessions for families wanting welfare
  benefits or housing advice, training and
  employment information, support with accessing
  services

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What does Families in Focus do?Work with
families Intervention

• Families with complex needs assessment and
  casework
• Family support child welfare issues, parenting
  advice
• Joint work with other agencies (e.g. Social
  Services, Housing)
• Home visits for isolated/hard to reach families
  in need of extra support
• Parenting programmes and groups
• Family Group Conferences (Welfare, Restorative
  Justice)

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• The Families
• 10 families referred through the Youth Inclusion
  and Support Panel (YISP)
• 9/10 white British/Irish
• All single parents
• 6/10 children with diagnosed behavioural problems
• 9/10 no one in household in paid employment
• 15 Non YISP families
• 6/15 white British/Irish
• 4/16 two parent families
• 6/15 in paid employment

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Childrens involvement in FiF

• Most used were activities after school, trips
  holiday schemes
• Children were less bored, learning new things,
  were keeping safe and staying out of trouble
• Appreciated the low cost
• Felt culture and ethnicity respected
• Least effect was doing better at school

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Parents involvement in FiF

• 9/10 YISP parents actively engaged
• 5 parents had done parenting courses (including 1
  Dad)
• Relationship with workers was one of the most
  valued aspects
• let you know they are there
• go beyond the call of duty
• they kept me sane when I didnt know which way
  to turn

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Stakeholders views

• What is special about Families in Focus?
• Community work at its best
• Bottom up structure, non-statutory
• Staff local people, know the community
• Wide range of skills and knowledge
• Holistic approach

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Stakeholders views

• The programme
• Puts child and family at forefront
• Contributes to community cohesion
• Works around the positives in families
• Gives young people confidence to strive for
  things
• Non-stigmatising

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Why is it working?

• Flexible, responsive and empowering approach
  local offices on estates
• Provides long-term support for families as well
  as children and young people
• Combines prevention and intervention
• Commitment and ownership from community
• leaders will to try new approaches
• Skilled community workers working closely with
• and regularly consulting whole community
• Maximising use of and working with other services

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• They are my lifeline. FiF are myTheyre like
  my family, theyre like my counsellor, my
  therapist, they are everything.
• The offices are close by and they dont knock on
  your door or beg to come every two minutes, they
  are just there if you need them. Its got that
  choice. You dont feel put upon. You dont feel
  you are putting upon anybody else .

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