Issue - meetings

The Board considered a report from the Executive Director of Children’s Services, which provided an update of the Supporting Families Programme.

It was noted that the Programme had been transferred to the Department of Education (DfE) from the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) in April 2024.  This would enable the Education Secretary to deliver a coordinated, whole system of support for children and families, as well as ensuring services were sustainable for local government. 

The report described the revised Supporting Families Outcomes Framework and the ten headline outcomes set out within this.  Below these outcomes sat descriptors of family needs that made up the eligibility criteria for the Supporting Families Programme, as well as suggested data sources for identifying families with these needs.

The report outlined details of the refreshed Early Help System guide published in March 2024 and Halton’s position within this.  This included feedback on the progress of 2022 priorities which helped confirm Halton’s 2023 priorities; these were presented in the report.

Further, information on performance, funding and commissioned services was provided, as well as a case study example, showing how one family had engaged positively with the Programme.

Members noted that the Programme was 100% grant funded and there was no expectation that this would continue beyond March 2025.  In response to questions, it was confirmed that there would be no direct impact on children ‘on the edge of care’ once it was ended. 

It was commented that as the Programme offered key services, cessation of these would impact on other services, so much so, that the Local Authority may have to fund them.   Officers would return to the Board with further details on the financial implications of this and more details around how this would affect supporting families.

RESOLVED:  That the report be noted.