‘Think Family’

What is Think Family?
  • A whole family approach to supporting families - securing better outcomes for their children through more effective and better co-ordinated interventions by a range of services (including those for children, young people and adults).
  • Think Family requires professionals and services to take into account family circumstances when assessing the needs of the individual; and sharing responsibilities for family outcomes.
  • It ensures that families are fully involved in assessment, planning and responsibility for improving their outcomes.
  • Services to working together across the ‘windscreen of needs’.
  • When a family or individual is identified as being in need of support, staff should undertake a holistic assessment and either provide integrated services or refer to an appropriate alternative.

Why is it important?

Interventions are often aimed at individuals. This means that services focus on the immediate problem and do not address the underlying cause. For example, a child who is excluded from school may be provided with a raft of support and intervention by the school, but if the cause of the issues leading to exclusion is something at home, interventions with the child will have limited success.

Evidence emerging from Think Family practice in Hampshire (in the form of Family Intervention Projects), shows improved and sustained outcomes for families that have shown resistance to change in the past. In addition, resources are used more effectively and targeted interventions reduce repeat presentation of problems.

What does a Think Family approach look like?

Key elements:

  • there is a ‘lead professional’, working alongside the family to monitor the plan;
  • support is in partnership with families, solution focused and builds on families’ strengths and resilience rather than problems;
  • families understand their responsibilities, what others will do and why.

What is happening at a county level?

An overarching county level strategy is currently under development. Family Intervention Projects are being rolled out in various locations across Hampshire, monitored by acountyFamily Intervention Project Steering Group.

The role of Local Children’s Partnerships
  • Success with Think Family requires an understanding of what local services are available and where the gaps are. Local Children’s Partnerships (LCPs) have a crucial role to play in identifying gaps, mapping services and disseminating information.
  • Sharing resources and organisational flexibility for prioritising the local needs of families is important to avoid duplication and ensure needs are met. LCPs should consider what resources exist and how they can best be shared and utilised to meet the identified gaps in service provision.
  • LCPs can influence and encourage the shift of thinking amongagencies - from the individual, to the individual in context of their family and community. What training/knowledge do local professionals need to facilitate a whole family approach?
  • Facilitating clear pathways to access services, which are understood by all front line staff; and supporting clear responsibilities between agencies.

Good practice/case studies

The key factors in this case are:

  • the school acted promptly when issues were identified;
  • the assessment identified underlying cause of difficulties in the family;
  • the plan was understood and agreed by all - and everyone was committed to keeping to the plan.

Key contacts

Lorraine Frampton, Think Family Project Officer, , 07540205457

Volker Buck, County Parent Support Manager, , 01962 846197

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