Verbal update by Assistant Director, Commissioning, Performance and Transformation
Minutes:
The Assistant Director, Commissioning, Performance and Transformation, provided Members with an update on the Strengthening Families programme.
It was confirmed that the Department for Education had invested £84million to support local authorities to improve work with families and to reduce the number of children entering care; Darlington would be working in partnership with Leeds Council to deliver the programme; and that the programme was based on an approach that involved working with families to encourage and build resilience, to ensure that children remain with their families wherever it was safe to do so.
The programme was launched on 24th September; a number of training sessions were in place which were open to both local authority and multi-agency staff that work with children and families; and that Darlington was working towards being a child friendly town.
Discussion ensued in respect of the programme and the risks of language and cultural barriers faced by families of ethnic minority. Members were advised that the programme focussed on the strengths of families and that these strengths would be different for every family; and social workers were trained to manage every situation differently. Members requested further information regarding the management of language and cultural barriers by social workers.
RESOLVED – That the Assistant Director, Commissioning Performance and Transformation be thanked for providing an update on Strengthening Families.