The success of the Connecting Families Team, run by Bath & North East Somerset Council, is being marked in a new short film produced by a local company.
The programme provides support to troubled families with multiple complex needs enabling them to access and receive services to help them to improve their life chances.
Cllr Michael Evans (Conservative, Midsomer Norton North) Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, said: “Our new administration welcomes and supports the significant progress that has been made by the Council and its partner organisations through the Connecting Families initiative:
“Children are back in school where they were previously playing truant or excluded; levels of youth crime and anti-social behaviour are down; adults are getting off benefits and into work; and the burden on local public services is being reduced, as is the cost to the taxpayer.”
To demonstrate the success of the project and the positive impact it has had on some of those involved, a short film has now been made.
The film was produced by local company Suited & Booted and demonstrates some of the positive outcomes achieved.
In the film families talk about their experience of their dedicated family key workers, who listen, support and challenge and make a long term commitment to work alongside all family members to make a real difference.
In cooperation with the family, the Connecting Families Team provides intensive, practical support in the family home, and draws up an action plan to make a sustainable change.
The Connecting Families Team was established in April 2013, as Bath & North East Somerset Council’s response to the Government’s Troubled Families initiative.
The Council has successfully completed phase one of the programme and moved into Phase two, with the aim to ‘turn around’ 710 vulnerable families by 2020.
The film can be viewed on the Councils web site: http://www.bathnes.gov.uk/services/children-young-people-and-families/connecting-families.
To ensure the best possible service is provided and to monitor effectiveness, the Connecting Families Team is required to share data with the Department of Communities and Local Government and the Office of National Statistics for the National Impact Study.
For more information about the service, to view the film and for the data sharing guidlines please see the Council’s web site as listed above.
If you wish to opt out of the National Impact study please contact Paula Bromley, Connecting Families Manager, on 01225 396931.