Pathfinder Projects
To support the development of integrated local front line services, Poole has been selected as a high performing local authority to deliver 2 new funded initiatives from September 2006 - March 2008:
Budget Holding Lead Professional
Key aim is to meet the needs of vulnerable children, who fall below the threshold of Specialist Services, by enabling front line professionals access to a budget to purchase preventative services.
Key aim for the DfES is to trial different methods of supporting families, so they are looking for flexibility and innovation.
Key features of the project are:
- Runs from July 2006 - March 2008 and there will be no continuation of funding
- The agreed level of DfES funding for Poole is - 2006/07: £123,750 and 2007/08: £252,500 (with an equivalent sum for Bournemouth)
- The pilot will initially cover Alderney and Hamworthy/Old Town localities
- The project will be supported by a project manager who will work closely with the new locality managers and Children's Centres in the two pilot localities
- Lead professionals could be school staff, health visitors, youth workers and others.
- Budget holding lead professionals will receive an indicative budget based on the assessed need of a family to purchase local services
- Families and young people will be heavily involved in agreeing desired outcomes, which will be monitored
- A substantial proportion of the grant will support the infrastructure costs in developing the localities, such as IT systems and administrative systems (which need to be developed to support roll our of lead professionals).
A launch day was held on Monday, 9 October 2006
For more details of the BHLP contact Vicky Wales on 01202 262261 or Nick Wharam on 01202 688880 ext 263.
Early Intervention - Parenting Support
15 Local Authorities and 3 Funded Controls have been selected to run 1 of 3 Parenting Programmes; Webster Stratton, Triple P and Strengthening Families, Strengthening Communities. The DfES believe there is a gap in the provision of support for parents of 8-13 year olds at risk of drifting into anti-social behaviour. The support should be readily accessible, relevant and effective and involved a whole family approach. Pathfinders will trial the 3 programmes and provide more information on which of these are most effective in intervening early and working with parents before more serious problems develop.
Poole have been selected to be a 'Funded Control' to run the Webster Stratton Programme (our first choice), alongside Southwark, Manchester, Derbyshire, Telford & Wrekin and Leeds.
Key features of the Programme are:
- Runs from September 2006 - March 2008 with on continuation
- Funding for 2006/07 - £170,230
- Funding for 2007/08 - £249,927
- Main aims and objective are to increase skills of workers through training in order to build the capacity for the future, in the areas of assessment, partnership work with parents and specific training in the Webster Stratton model
- The project will be supported by a Project Manager working with a Multi-agency Steering Group and Reference/Partnership Group under Poole's Joint Commissioning Model.
The Project Team to carry out the work will be the Project Manager (part-time), Senior Lead Professional (full time) and Adult and Child Group Workers. The Project will be evaluated independently and with the DfES.
The Program will aim to run a total of 8 x 12 week groups over the period of the project, reaching about 96 parents.
For more details on Early Intervention contact Jan Sayers on 01202 714666 or Parenting Co-ordinator, Linda Bennett on 01202 711537.
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