Supporting Families
The Supporting Families Programme (SFP) is a service that is available to support you and your family, by focusing on providing help to each family member, should you/ they need it. The SFP offers support, advice, and guidance, enabling you and your family to make positive and sustainable changes.
We know that families have shared that support and encouragement is important to them when seeking support from services. They want someone to listen to their problems and understand their goals.
Feedback from families
The following statements are from Island families who have engaged in the SFP:
“The support helped me to see what I needed to do and to make some decisions.”
“My home is much calmer now.”
“My children are now in school when they are supposed to be.”
“I know where to go and who to ask if I need help in the future.”
Making positive changes
Having to deal with problems can become overwhelming. It can be difficult for you and your family to know where to seek help and support. The SFP can help you and your family to address difficulties relating to:
- Education
- Early years development
- Mental health and physical health
- Promoting recovery and reducing harm from substance use
- Family relationships
- Child abuse and exploitation
- Crime
- Domestic abuse
- Housing
- Financial stability
What we provide
The help offered will be different for each family and will depend on the support that is needed. This support will be alongside your Targeted Early Help plan (EHP) and maybe via a family support worker, volunteer or known professional.
We will ask what matters to you and what you would like to change to achieve positive outcomes for your family.
Participation in the SFP is voluntary. If at any point you change your mind, you can stop receiving support.
How to access the SFP
If you would like to receive support via the SFP, you need to speak with one of the following professionals and request that a Targeted Early Help Assessment (EHA) is completed:
- Health professional such as Health Visitor
- School, education or Early Years professional
- Any other support service working with your family
If you already have an EHA, please speak to your Lead Professional.
If you are not currently being supported by any services, please visit your local Family Hub.
The professional will complete a SFP Referral Form and gain your consent, they will then send it to us alongside your EHA. We have a panel of professionals that will decide what support would be the best place to meet your family’s needs. We will let the professional who referred you know what support is offered and they will then let you know what support will be given to you and your family.