Published October 2022
Welcome to the fourth issue of the Strengthening Families Journal – the regular publication dedicated to capturing learning from the Strengthening Families, Protecting Children (SFPC) programme.
SFPC is a five-year Department for Education programme to support local authorities to improve their work with families and safely reduce the number of children entering care by implementing successful sector-designed innovations.
The Strengthening Families Learning Journal shares learning from the Programme, focusing on the changes to systems and practice taking place in local authorities across England, where teams are adopting three innovations in children’s social care: Hertfordshire’s Family Safeguarding; Leeds’ Family Valued and North Yorkshire’s No Wrong Door.
Who is the journal for?
The Strengthening Families Journal is intended for people working in, and in partnership with, children’s social care. Directors and service managers and frontline practitioners, along with partners from education, health, housing, police and adult services, will all find articles relevant to their work. In fact, anyone interested in the role innovation has to play in improving children’s lives will find something of interest
About the fourth issue
The theme of this issue is ‘Working with families in new ways’ learning from local authorities who are participating in the Programme. Drawing on learning and case studies into the implementation of the models and their effectiveness, we focus on the attributes of values-driven leadership, how professionals are better equipped to work alongside families when working in specialist multi-disciplinary teams, and the fundamental importance of working in partnership – across professional boundaries and most importantly with families themselves.The Journal also provides key insights on cross-programme themes such as leadership, workforce and retention and the Independent Care Review of Social Care, following the SFPC National Online Learning Event in June 2022.
Includes
- How the Strengthening Families Protecting Children (SFPC) programme informed the Care Review
- Transforming relationships with families: Lessons from implementing the three innovations
- Pioneering innovation in the capital – Wandsworth’s journey with Family Safeguarding
- Insights from The Lighthouse – How a coordinated approach is keeping families together in Warrington, No Wrong Door
- Putting ‘family’ into our decision-making: Darlington’s use of FGCs with Family Valued
- Exploring attributes of a values-driven leader
- Tapping into values and motivation: How innovators and adopters are developing their social care workforce
- What Works Centre – Evaluation Round-Up
Do you have any feedback?
We would welcome your feedback on the Journal so we can ensure the series adds as much value as possible. Look out for opportunities to provide feedback via reader reviews, surveys and social media in the coming months on our website.