Family Safeguarding Model
The Family Safeguarding Model is a way of keeping families together where it is safe to do so.
The model:
- uses a collaborative and whole-family approach to working with children and families
- supports parents to create sustained change for themselves and for their family
The model uses Motivational Interviewing (MI). This helps parents accept support and make positive changes for themselves and their children.
MI involves collaborative conversations that support families to recognise their strengths and make informed decisions about their wellbeing.
This approach is integral to the model, which is designed to create a culture of support and understanding with families.
Ofsted have recognised that our model:
- operates consistently and effectively
- embraces a relational approach, with explicit commitment to understanding the culture and diverse needs of families
- harnesses, protects and cultivates relationships so that families’ experience and perspective are well understood
Children experiencing neglect or domestic abuse receive exceptional and expert in-house specialist help.
Specialists work closely with the family safeguarding team. They offer step-by-step help to parents to improve home conditions and strengthen parenting capacity.
Family safeguarding teams
The Family Safeguarding Model brings together:
- social workers, family workers and parenting assessors - working directly with parents and children
- domestic abuse victim practitioners - working with victims of domestic abuse, we help them to recognise abuse and support them to make changes to protect their children and themselves
- domestic abuse perpetrator practitioners - working with perpetrators of domestic abuse, we help them to recognise the impact of their actions and find ways to stabilise their relationships and keep their children safe
- recovery workers - working with adults who are experiencing difficulties with drugs or alcohol, we support them to make positive lifestyle changes and help them to care for their children
- mental health practitioners - working with parents who are experiencing mental health difficulties
- clinical psychologists - working with parents using cognitive behavioural techniques (CBT) and dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT), as well as looking at different aspects of parenting
Our partner agencies
This model is supported by strong partnerships between the Police, Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), substance misuse and mental health services.
What our teams do differently
Our teams are:
- delivering a whole family focus by spending more time with children and families
- achieving change through the skilled use of motivational interviewing techniques
- using high quality reflective supervision, within a multi disciplinary forum, to support information sharing and strengthen decision making
- using a range of tools to develop an in depth understanding of family functioning
Family safeguarding and mental health services for families
We are working with health colleagues to support parents, and adults in parenting roles, when they are struggling with their mental health.
Find out about our mental health services for families.