Southampton Launches Family Safeguarding Model

New collaborative working practices set to transform social care for vulnerable families

On Thursday 19 September, Southampton City Council’s Children Services team formally launched a new Family Safeguarding approach at an event in the City Art Gallery.

This new approach is built on national best practice and is a way of working with vulnerable children, young people and their parents so that children can remain safely within their family networks. Children and young people come into care for a wide range of reasons, often because their parents are experiencing real challenges in their lives.

The family safeguarding model brings together expert practitioners in multi-agency teams who can support parents who are experiencing domestic abuse, mental ill-health, alcohol and substance use, to address issues that could result in children and young people being at risk of harm or needing to come into care.

The new service welcomed Chief Social Worker, Isabelle Trowler, who met social workers and practitioners, joined the ‘Making a difference’ good practice awards, spent time in our young people’s hub and addressed the audience at the formal launch in the city’s art gallery.

Isabelle Trowler said:

“The innovative Family Safeguarding way of working has been successfully introduced in a number of local authorities. It has made a significant impact for children, young people and their families. It’s fantastic that Southampton have introduced the Family Safeguarding Model and it has been a pleasure to meet with so many dedicated professionals working together to support vulnerable families. We know that children thrive in stable, loving homes and helping families to overcome difficulties through nurturing and support, more families can make positive changes to remain together.”

As part of the launch, senior representatives from the Police, health, education and social care signed a ‘Partnership Pledge’. The pledge represents the commitment to work together to support children, young people and their families. It outlines how the multi-disciplinary, multi-agency approach will collaborate.

Rob Henderson, Interim Executive Director for Wellbeing, Children and Learning said:

“Southampton’s Children Services is absolutely committed to providing a good start in life for our children and young people, and that starts in the family home. By implementing the Family Safeguarding way of working we are looking at the whole family and the issues that directly impact a child or young person in everything from their mental wellbeing to their behaviour.”

Cllr Winning, Cabinet Member for Children and Learning said:

“Family relationships have such a huge impact on children and young people. This focused approach to bringing the different disciplines such as mental health practitioners and social workers together means that the support offered to families will have greater effect and deliver better outcomes.

Through the Southampton Safeguarding Children’s Partnership, the Family Safeguarding Model and our ambition to become a more Child Friendly Southampton we are committed to supporting children, young people and families to achieve a good start to life, to live safely, to be happy and healthy, and to learn and achieve.”