City of Wolverhampton Council and Walsall Council are two of 10 areas in England piloting the new Families First for Children Pathfinder (FFCP) programme designed to keep more children in safe and loving homes. Both local authorities are working with central government to test and develop a new approach to children’s social care, which will be adopted nationwide.
The visit was an opportunity to learn more about the changes, progress and challenges of implementing the programme into action following the independent review led by MacAlister in 2021.
The Ministers spoke with frontline workers, parents whose families have received direct and life-changing support along with representatives from NHS England, Walsall Council, NHS, police and safeguarding organisations.
Also attending was Councillor Jacqui Coogan, Cabinet member for Children, Young People and Education at City of Wolverhampton Council and local MPs, Warinder Juss and Sureena Brackenridge were also present to find out more about the Hub’s activities and sessions to support the community.
Councillor Coogan said: This visit has been a fantastic opportunity to show we are progressing with the FFCP programme and working collaboratively to great effect; achieving hugely impactful results for those families who need support in the city and across the region.
“We really have developed a ‘families first’ culture across the partnership for FFCP and we are pleased to be able to share our journey to date and participate in ongoing central cross-government discussions to ensure a safe, supported future for families when required.”
Alison Hinds, Executive Director of Families, added: “We are always more than willing to host visits and share what we believe is the great work we’re doing in this space. Hopefully, what we were able to do was demonstrate how the practice here can continue to support the ongoing social care reform nationally.”
Rita Homer, Director for Children’s Social Work at Walsall Council, said: “We know the current social care system can work better for families. Joining the Families First for Children Programme gives Walsall a unique chance to lead positive change and shape the future of social care nationally.
“Since being selected for the pilot last Spring, we’ve spent time listening to families, professionals and partners to design a model of family help that is efficient, inclusive, and centred on families’ needs. We’re learning what works and what doesn’t, and the visit was a fantastic opportunity to show how the Black Country is paving the way for social care reform.”
Josh MacAlister, Minister for Children and Families, said: "It was inspiring to visit Wolverhampton and see first-hand how the Families First for Children Programme is making a real difference to families' lives.
“The Black Country is leading the way in testing a new approach to children's social care – one that keeps more children safe at home with the support they need, rather than in care.
"The dedication of frontline workers and the collaborative partnership between councils, health services, police and local communities is exactly what we need to transform children's social care nationwide.
“I'm grateful to Wolverhampton and Walsall for their willingness to pioneer these national reforms, and I look forward to learning from their experience as we build a system that truly puts families first."
