Family Support

The Family Support Team works with families who may need support in many aspects of caring for children. We offer advice on budgeting, play, routines, boundaries and meeting children’s needs. Some of this support is offered through individual work with parents or in a group setting. We work closely with Social Workers, Health Visitors, Housing, Children’s Mental Health and many other professionals such as Education providers. Support is offered to children in various ways including direct work and children’s groups to look at issues such as self-esteem, bereavement, relationships within the home or at school. Sessions may also involve working together with parents and their children.

The main part of our work is through a referral system and assessments undertaken by a Social Worker but we also offer a wider support through community involvement activities and partnership with the Integrated Services Team. These include a number of community Drop-Ins for parents and young children, a group for Under 1’s and their carers, children’s self esteem in various schools and respite groups for younger children whose parents may need extra support.

Some of the circumstances that can cause difficulties in family life may be drug and alcohol misuse, domestic violence, fragmented families through relationship breakdown. The family support team offers advice and assistance on these and many more issues with continuous research and development of new support opportunities to meet the changing needs of children and families.

Working partnerships with parents in order to assist families is the key to successful outcomes but there are times when a more formal approach is required to safeguard children. In situations that become more formal, the Family Support Team are well established in undertaking parenting assessments, contact supervision, life story work, sibling assessments and adoption support.