A new service for families in distress or at risk of crisis due to children and young people’s mental health issues has been commissioned by Warwickshire County Council.
Following a competitive tendering process, the Council can announce that the Urgent Outreach for Families in Crisis is now in place and will be offered by Fine Futures to eligible families that are referred by other services or those already supported by social care and health teams.
The service aims to help families identify issues and prevent these issues from escalating further, as well as offering responsive solutions and guidance to help them overcome crisis and improve wellbeing for all involved. This will include outcomes such as reduced risk of crisis or hospital admissions, prevention of family breakdown, and stabilising a child’s needs.
It builds on Warwickshire’s existing Family Wraparound Service and provides more urgent, dedicated short-term support that may feature intensive, daily support with routines and activities for children struggling with social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) as well as their families.
The service is available on a 24/7 basis with core service hours delivered at times that work best for families, including evenings and weekends, with on-call available outside of core hours. Phone support is also available for families and young people who are open to the service to offer practical support and advice when it is needed. Referrals to the service are made by the family's social care team or another professional.
Warwickshire County Councillor George Finch, Interim Leader and Portfolio Holder for Children and Families said: “The Family Wraparound Service will support our child friendly ambitions to help children be as happy and healthy as possible. I look forward to seeing the positive difference this will make to families.
“This new service complements the Council’s ongoing work to transform services for children, putting families first - at the heart of decision-making and equipped with tools to build on their strengths and relationships to find solutions to any problems they may face.”
Working together with the existing family wraparound service, solutions will be provided by wrapping intensive, personalised support around a family in crisis. Support will be delivered under a ‘test and learn’ process, working creatively and compassionately with families, in their homes and in community spaces to allow the service to develop in response to feedback from young people, families and professionals.
Hayley Thompson, Clinical Lead for Urgent Outreach for Families in Crisis, added: “At Fine Futures, we place families at the heart of what we do. We provide a responsive, coordinated service that listens to families and places their needs at the centre of every decision. Rather than delivering services to children, we walk alongside families — offering support that wraps around their unique circumstances and builds lasting, meaningful connections."
Find out more about Warwickshire County Council support for children and families at www.warwickshire.gov.uk/childrenandfamilies.