New support workers to help struggling families

Monday 01 May 2017

Five new 'Family Support Workers' will be in place later this year to help Jersey’s vulnerable children and parents as part of an initiative that aims to deal with issues in the home before they become too serious.

Funding was agreed in the Medium Term Financial Plan and, as a result, the Education Department will receive up to £473,600 over the next three years for the workers.

The new team will work with families in their own homes to develop parenting skills alongside a range of life management skills, such as budgeting, time management, nutrition and cookery, attending medical and dental appointments and dealing with States departments.

Education Minister Deputy Rod Bryans said: “Supporting families is a key priority for the Education Department because we know that it’s hard for children to thrive at school if their family and home life are unsettled. By helping parents, sometimes with very basic support, we will be helping children directly and improving their life chances.

“The introduction of Family Support Workers will further strengthen multi-agency working and will fill a gap in the services we currently provide to the families and children who need extra help to thrive.”

Family Support Workers (FSW) will be a key component of Jersey’s ‘Early Help Approach’, an initiative which is intended to ensure staff from different departments and agencies work together to provide coordinated services to families.

The aim is to support parents and children before their needs become so great or problems so entrenched that statutory services such as social workers have to become involved.

As part of the Jersey Early Help team, the Family Support Workers will work with health and early years professionals from other States departments and voluntary organisations such as the NSPCC and Brighter Futures.