Issue - meetings

Report CS17056

The Care Services Portfolio Holder introduced a report setting out expenditure on the Tackling Troubled Families Programme, and requesting agreement for additional grant funding to be drawn down from central contingency to support the delivery of the Programme.

The Tackling Troubled Families Programme was a non-statutory Government programme launched in 2011 which provided targeted support to families impacted by a number of complex issues including those with parents or children involved in crime or antisocial behaviour, adults out of work or at risk of financial exclusion, and parents and children with a range of health problems.  The criteria for participation in the programme had been expanded under Phase 2 of the national programme with a more holistic focus that allowed for earlier intervention.  The Department for Communities and Local Government had also increased the data collection requirements for Phase 2 which supported the funding mechanism.

The Bromley Tackling Troubled Families Programme was in the second year of the five year Phase 2 programme which aimed to provide support to 1700 families across the Borough through a multi-agency approach.  The Programme was coordinated through the Bromley Children Project and provided a comprehensive programme of intervention and support through a number of work streams including Early Intervention and Family Support Services and also by key partners including Jobcentre Plus. 

In considering the report, a Member queried how an intervention was judged to be a success.  The Head of Early Interventions and Family Support confirmed that the progress of families was measured through the rigorous framework of the Outcome Plan, and that this would be revised during 2016/17 to reflect changes to the national and local drive to identify and support families where children were identified as being in particular risk groups.  Internal Audit reviewed every claim before it was submitted, and where change was not sustained, families were given further support.  Since 2014, the Programme had supported 1772 cases, of which 75.8% had only presented once, with those families presenting more than once often being impacted by a different issue.

A Member underlined the need to ensure that community-based police were aware of the Tackling Troubled Families programme and how families could be referred for support.  It was also requested that ward-based information on the number of families being supported by this programme and anonymised case studies be provided to Members following the meeting.

RESOLVED that the Portfolio Holder be recommended to:

1)  Agree to release the carry forward amount of £138k held in contingency; and,

2)  Request the Council’s Executive agree to drawdown a further sum of £610k from contingency to support the delivery of the Tackling Troubled Families Programme for 2016/17.