Agenda item

The Supporting Families (previously Troubled Families) Programme was developed to radically transform the lives of families with multiple issues.

The committee is invited to consider a report presenting the work undertaken to meet the outcomes of the Supporting Families Programme.

The Vice-Chairman invited the Committee to consider a report presenting the work undertaken to meet the outcomes of the Supporting Families (previously Troubled Families) Programme.

Lucy-Anne Bryant, Commissioning Programme Lead, provided a brief outline of the history of the programme noting that it arose as part of effort to streamline support to better coordinate the response to three indicators: unemployment, criminal behaviour, and poor school attendance. Over time the programme widened the original three criteria to six. She noted that the programme had been very successful, meaning that additional funding was granted to extend it in 2020-21. Funding had also been made available to extend the programme for a further year and the council was working with over 2000 families that meet the criteria.  She then added that Wiltshire has a payment by results target to successfully support 347 families through to 2022.

Head of Commissioning for Families and Children Gary Binstead, noted that successful outcomes have been achieved for over 2,800 families throughout the life of the programme, referring the Committee to the table in Part 8 of the report, which showed outcomes by different indicators.  It was noted that the programme would bring in over £876,000 were the council to meet its target for this year including over £250,000 payment by results funding.

During the course of the discussion the following points were made:

• Queries were raised about the figures included in the table in Section 7 of the report. Officers noted that they were only part way through the year. They also explained that families assisted by the programme met between two and six indicators each, which was why there were a larger number of indicators in the table in Section 8.

• Officers reported that the Wiltshire figures compared favourably to national figures. However, members sought reassurance about the sustainability of the programme, enquiring about what was being done to monitor outcomes for families over a longer time period. Officers clarified that their figures were checked by the South West Audit Partnership and that spot checks were carried out by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), which included the feedback provided over a longer timeframe. Where negative outcomes were delivered reviews had been undertaken in collaboration with partner services, such as the police, to consider what could have been done earlier to achieve a different outcome.

• It was explained that employment officers had returned for only two days per week as they were employed by the Department for Work and Pensions, who were not able to make them available full time due to their own requirements.

• In response to questions about the funding of the programme, it was noted that attachment fees of £1,000 were allocated every time a family joined the programme. However, due to Covid-19, attachment fees had now been replaced by service transformation funding.

• Given the success of the programme it was asked whether it could be extended to help a larger number of families. Officers noted that they were currently working with over 2000 families but that they were only able to claim funding for 347, as that was the figure allocated by the government. Although they were only able to claim for 347 families, they were able to achieve success for a far greater number and that service transformation funding was in place to ensure that the needs of the additional families were being met.

• Members raised concerns about families slipping through the net if they failed to meet the minimum of two indicators or did not engage with the programme. It was explained that participation was a matter of parental choice but that families would still receive services from the Support and Safeguarding Service.

• Officers offered to provide a further update to the Committee at a future meeting.

Around 3:25pm the Chairman re-joined the virtual meeting when he was able to restore his internet connection.

Resolved:

1) To note the report.

2) For a further report to be presented to the Standing Task Group after Wiltshire Council provides next year’s progress to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.