Shropshire Strengthening Families: agencies meet for launch of latest approaches

Agencies who work with families from across Shropshire gathered at Shrewsbury Town FC on Tuesday 29 September 2015 for the launch of the latest approaches to providing early help for Shropshire families in need of support.

Shropshire Strengthening Families aims to help families live happy, healthy and safe lives by providing support when it is first needed – and reducing the chances of them needing further help in the future. It brings togther key partners in a co-ordinated way.

Shropshire Strengthening Families has been developed over the past few months, and builds on help previously available to families in need.

It puts a particular focus on providing the right support to families facing multiple difficulties.

The programme was launched by Clive Wright, Shropshire Council’s chief executive and Karen Bradshaw, Shropshire Council’s director of children’s services, who were joined by Miriam Minty from the Troubled Families Team at the Department of Communities and Local Government (DCLG), and the officers and partners behind the latest developments.

The event also looked at how Shropshire Council and its partners can use new systems to improve communication and information sharing.

Karen Bradshaw said:

“We’re really pleased to implement a joined-up approach to provide early help to those families who most need it .

“This is really the start of a journey for us in Shropshire, and working with partners is critical to the success, so I’m delighted so many of them were able to join us.

“The Shropshire Strengthening Families outcomes plan was developed through consultation with professionals in five locality meetings, and this was our first opportunity to share the results of all the work done by them in July 2015.

“Working closely with partners and ensuring the best possible sharing of information will help to ensure families get the right service at the right time, co-ordinated by a lead professional.”