Families First for Children Pathfinder
The Pathfinder will test how social care and other services can develop the way we work together in Lewisham to provide support to families, with the aim of making processes simple and keeping families together.
The Pathfinder is about evolving our practice and trying new ways to deliver the kind of support that will meet the needs of our families at the right time and place.
The Department for Education (DfE) named the key changes that are needed to improve children and families’ experiences throughout the Children’s Social Care wider system. The DfE set out their findings and suggestions for change in a document called Stable Homes, Built on Love.
The Families First for Children Pathfinder (FFC) Pathfinder programme
The (FFC) programme was launched to test out these changes in a few local authorities and is funded by the DfE.
The Pathfinder programme wants families and other professionals to be at the centre of those changes by working together and learning from each other.
About the Pathfinder
The Pathfinder promotes:
- working together (co-production) with children and families
- strengths-based working where families tell their story
- family-led approach
- multi-agency working
- one lead family help practitioner supporting a family with one plan
- stronger multi-agency child protection response to protect children from significant harm
- one integrated front door for all children seeking support
The Pathfinder will be led by Lewisham Council and delivered as a partnership between:
- the local authority, police, and health
- education leaders and providers
- other key local organisations, such as the voluntary, community and independent sector
With co-production at its core, the Pathfinder is a great opportunity for families to shape the way the system could work better for them.
About the four pillars
The Pathfinder will make improvements across four main sectors called “pillars”:
- Multi Agency Safeguarding Arrangements (MASA) - this pillar will mainly focus on recognising the role education plays in keeping children safe
- Family Help (FH) is an offer that puts the needs of families at the centre, from their very first request for help; it will provide the right support through one main lead worker, called a ‘practitioner’ who will stay with the family for as long as needed so they will not have to repeat their stories
- Multi Agency Child Protection Team (MACPT) will be a team of experienced social workers and other experienced professionals from services such as health, police and education; this team will only get involved when there are concerns that a child is at risk of significant harm; they will work alongside the ‘lead practitioner’ from Family Help to support decisions being made that keep the child safe
- Family Group Decision Making (FGDM) places families at the centre of decisions about their plans and helps them organise their own meetings
How to get involved
If you are a young person and would like to join the Pathfinder Youth Project team, complete the Pathfinder Youth Project Team - sign up and consent form with your parent / carer or supporter (if under the age of 18) or you can contact the Pathfinder team for more information.
If you are a parent / carer or parent group representative and would like to attend a Pathfinder event or find out more about how you can be involved, complete the Families First for Children Pathfinder - expression of interest form or contact the Pathfinder team.
Contact
Lewisham Pathfinder team
Email: pathfinder@lewisham.gov.uk