An update on the FACT Partnership
Transformation Programme was delivered by the FACT Programme Lead,
Simon Thomas, and Paul Holdsworth from the Targeted Education Team.
The presentation was split into the two projects underway in
Wiltshire, where the following was then highlighted:
Early Intervention, Prevention and the FACT
Project:
- Members were reminded of
Wiltshire’s multi-agency Family Help arrangements, with
Members being informed that although the project formally closed at
the end of March 2025, the core elements had been delivered across
Wiltshire.
- The Warminster and Westbury pilot
scheme was then briefly detailed, and it was reiterated that the
scheme had been created to explore if working together in
geographically defined areas in different ways could provide better
and more effective early intervention and
prevention.
- A graphic was then shown which
outlined the different aims of the project and key pieces of
feedback received such as ability to self-navigate, improved family
dynamics, and engagement of agencies.
- The different approaches implemented
were noted, alongside the quantitative impact, key success factors,
and extracts of feedback from families and partners.
School and Family Support:
- The core functions and activity of
the service was detailed, with it being noted that the overall aims
were to increase the use of the Early Support Assessment (ESA)
process, develop confidence within schools for using the ESA, and
make positive impacts for individual children and young people
through early help. Further aims were noted as being to support
change for the child holistically through the ESA process and plan;
working with lead professionals to build confidence and expertise
at implementing ESAs; working in the home with families, children,
and young people individually; with school staff to support the
needs of the children; and to develop confidence and understanding
of thresholds, risks, and support action.
- Members were shown the support and
early successes so far, alongside data on school staff confidence
ratings, initial data captures for impact measuring, and
correlations between children and young people with SEND and ESA,
and attendance and ESA.
- Officers presented explanations as
to the various successes, such as consistency of practitioners with
schools to build relationships, working with other Council services
and knowing how to sign post effectively, and the ability to offer
support in the home.
- Finally, the project’s next
steps were detailed, including actions such as quality assurance
activity of ESAs to develop knowledge of needs for future planning
and sharing key messages with schools, linking with the new
Mainstream Inclusion School Advisor (MISA) Team, and developing a
practice where school staff can support work in family
homes.
During the discussion, points
included:
- Members queried if there was a
correlation between the two projects and the reduction in the
number of fixed-term exclusions. In response, officers noted that
although the projects did not explicitly seek to capture such data,
they had the ability to retrospectively analyse the data and see if
there were any learnings to be taken forward and then presented to
the Forum at a future date.
Resolved:
The Schools Forum noted the
update.