Family support

The Family Outreach Team

The family outreach team takes referrals from health visitors and other professionals to support parents and children in the home. The aim is both to provide advice and guidance and to signpost to the services offered at the children’s centres. The family outreach team workers are trained early years practitioners with additional skills in parenting training, sleep counselling, breastfeeding support, weaning and early years education. As well as giving advice which supports parents through the difficult times with babies and young children, the role of the family outreach worker is to empower parents as their children’s first educators, helping them develop a love for playing together, sharing books and singing nursery rhymes.

Six session support package

When a referral is received it will be allocated to a family outreach officer who will visit the parent in their home. This initial meeting will ensure that the family is consulted about the six session support package that is being made available and that they have an input into the design of that package. Outcomes for each of the visits will be agreed at this stage so that the plan can take shape and be delivered in accordance with the immediate needs of the family. Parents will be encouraged to role model good practice and reflect on alternative ways of dealing with issues, such as feeding difficulties, sleeping problems and children’s challenging behaviour.

Support

The content of the support package offered to families will be tailored to meet the identified needs of the family. There is a suggested menu to describe the broad nature of the sort of support that the team can offer.

General parenting

The team is trained and experienced in delivering support to parents in a wide range of areas. Some of the more common requests are understanding their children’s developmental stages; the family outreach worker will be able to suggest lots of sensible ways for daily routines to be fun. They will also encourage parents to make best use of local facilities such as parks, drop ins and libraries. The team can also give advice and guidance about setting boundaries for behaviour and helping with sleep and bed wetting problems. Workers will also encourage families with young children to think about safety in the home, to eat healthily and to have regular exercise. In general parents will receive lots of encouragement to enjoy their children’s company and to make the most of the services offered at children’s centres in the borough.

Support for new parents and/or teenage parents

Over and above the range of support already mentioned, first time parents and teenage parents may require antenatal support to prepare for the new baby. This includes advice about what baby equipment and clothes are needed, how to access the correct welfare benefits and how to prepare the home. Family outreach workers will encourage parents to attend antenatal sessions and help make the prospect of giving birth less daunting.

Support for fathers

Requests for support for fathers are on the increase. There are a number of fathers’ groups in the borough and these give particular guidance on the joys of fatherhood as well as information on child development and parenting skills. Some fathers may require support in arranging special ‘contact’ sessions with their child for which they may need legal advice. Fathers who live separately may require help in organising their home to accommodate their visiting child.

Healthy living

Parents want to provide balanced diets for their children and the family outreach team can provide ideas and guidance on living on a tight budget as well as buying and cooking food. The team can also recommend parents to take specialist advice from nutritionists and dentists.

Other support

Parents may require specialist advice and information on issues such as housing, benefits, debt, personal relationships, cultural or religious support, training and employment. The team members are able to signpost and in some cases accompany parents to relevant agencies. The early years service also runs a number of support groups within children’s centres and community centres such as breast feeding groups, rhyme time; fathers’ groups; library sessions, parenting classes and adult learning.