21 September 2022
A 24-hour support service for vulnerable families is celebrating its first anniversary by raising funds for Brightly Jersey today.
The Family Intervention Service provides intensive intervention to families who are known to Children’s Social Care. The team is commissioned by social workers to provide the intensive, basic support families need to stay together.
As well as supporting social workers by completing assessments and providing more information about the challenges facing families, the FIS team can:
- Provide parenting support to ensure children’s needs are met
- Organise and oversee supervised or supported family time between parents and children
- Responding to families in crisis to prevent family breakdown
- Seeking support for families from other organisations, including Brightly Jersey
In recognition of the support Brightly provides to families, staff will hold a fundraising cake sale today ,Wednesday 21 September, between 12pm and 2pm at Liberté House. There will also be a display of artwork and comments from children, families, foster carers, and social workers about the work of the FIS.
The Family Intervention Service is made up 18 members of staff who provide intervention 24 hours a day. Ten workers have been recruited in the last year, to ensure that the service can provide the right intervention and support at the right time.
In its first year, the Family Intervention Service has supported over 100 children and young people each month, and provided crisis intervention for 50 families. The team have also worked with 11 sets of new parents.
Pat Ndhlalambi, Team Manager, said: “The Family Intervention Service provides intervention and support for children known to Children Social Care to ensure that families are receiving the help and support to make change. The team work together to stop concerns escalating with the ultimate aim of reducing the number of children who need to be taken into the Care of the Minister.
“The team provide a valuable counterpoint to Social Workers: they’re able to develop a different relationship with children young people and their families, and assess what steps they need to take in order to meet their child – or their children’s needs.
“To do this, they work closely with charities and organisations, including Brightly. Brightly have been invaluable to the team providing financial support for children and families with things such as – school supplies, furniture, nursery places, after school activities and holiday club funding.”
Assistant Minister for Children and Education with responsibility for Children’s Social Care, Connétable Richard Vibert, said: “Children and young people thrive when they are in a safe, loving family environment. While we can – and do – step in if a child is at risk of harm, we must also do what we can ensure families can stay together wherever possible.
“The Family Intervention Service is key to achieving this. Alongside the Family and Community Support Service and Children’s Social Care staff, they give families the support they need to make changes so that they can provide the best outcomes for their children.”
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