Vulnerable Peterborough families to be supported by levelling up funding

Peterborough City Council will use the funds - worth more than £1 million - to continue to build on the success of its Supporting Families Programme to help vulnerable families and those at risk of neglect or harm to get much-needed support.

The funds will help families receive tailored support and interventions, including help to leave abusive relationships, receive joined-up service for mental health concerns and assistance to enable people to find work. In addition, the programme will be working directly with children and young people to help them stay safe online, understand grooming and the risks of sexual and criminal exploitation and how to deal with emotions and feelings positively.

As part of the council’s programme, dedicated key workers will work with every family member and bring local services together to resolve issues early before they develop into more significant problems.

Councillor Lynne Ayres, Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, Education, Skills and University at Peterborough City Council, said, “The additional funding is very welcome and will be used to further our Supporting Families programme. We know that getting the right help at the right time is critical for our most vulnerable children, young people, and their families. We also know that the earlier help is received, the better the results. The funding will help us further our whole family approach, which is designed to help prevent children in vulnerable families from ending up in the care system, reduce the likelihood of involvement in crime and support families back towards work and independence. We’ve already seen hundreds of families helped through this programme, and the additional funding means we can help many more.”

The Supporting Families scheme has seen a number of successes in the city.

In Peterborough, a 15-year-old was significantly behind in most subjects due to not accessing school before lockdown and since lockdown not engaging in online learning. There was great concern around her mental health, and a Young Peoples Worker was assigned to supported her.

The Young Peoples Worker held in person, telephone, and virtual sessions with the teenager, working alongside the school to create an alternative timetable to gradually build the young person’s confidence in her return to school and lessons.

Working closely with CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services) and her school, the team ensured the appropriate level and speed of integration and guided the youngster in what they felt able to achieve.

Used art activities, worksheets, visual tools, grounding techniques, and coping tools to help her manage the day to day.

The Young Peoples Worker had contact with the parents to help them to support their daughter.

By the end of the intervention, she was back in school four full days a week attending actual lessons with her peers and feeling happy about this. In addition, she was preparing for exams and was beginning to look at options for college or other further education/learning.

She had increased confidence again to get back into her community and had been outside with friends again.