Content

12.1

The Commissioning
Officer introduced the report which outlined the developments and
plans to date within the programme and requested delegation of the
funding to the Strategic Director of Children’s Services in
order that they begin to implement the programme
plans.

 

 

12.2

RESOLVED
UNANIMOUSLY: That Education, Children and Families Policy
Committee:-

a)   
Note the developments and plans within the Families First
Partnership Programme to date following its introduction in April
2025.
b)   
Approve the delegation of both the Children's Social Care
Prevention Grant (£4,226,573) and the Children and Families
Grant (£4,367,414 - £2,991,266 of this is what was
previously referred to as Supporting Families, now known as Family
Help) to the Strategic Director of Children’s Services in
order to realise the plans set out in this document (Total:
£8,593,987).

 

 

12.3

Reasons for
Decision

 

 

12.3.1

The ambition is to build on existing good
practice in the city to further improve the network of services,
processes and interactions that aim to help children, young people,
and families from the earliest opportunity through to the highest
level of need. If we continue to develop our system, we will see
vulnerable families thrive, becoming empowered to become resilient
over time and build connections to their local community. Our local
services will also be joined-up, flexible and responsive to new
challenges, becoming sustainable for the long-term creating
stronger multi-agency partnerships which work together to
understand local trends, predict emerging need, and respond to
those needing additional help. It is therefore essential that we
continue our ambitions with the full approval of the
committee.

 

 

12.4

Alternatives
Considered and Rejected

 

 

12.4.1

The national Families First
Partnership Programme (FFPP) is expected to be implemented
following the significant groundwork laid through the release of
The Families First Partnership (FFP) Programme Guide in April 2025.
This document was created following the Independent Review of
Children’s Social Care and the national consultation, Stable
Homes, Built on Love

 

 

12.4.2

As part of the Children’s
Social Care and Prevention Grant, there are also over five pages of
detailed grant conditions, outlining the requirements and
expectations for Local Authorities. In addition, the national team
is hosting a series of webinars designed to support the
implementation of the reforms, sharing best practices while also
allowing for flexibility throughout the year to ensure local
authorities can adapt the programme in a manner that complements
their unique approaches and ways of
working.