mhs homes supports Family Intervention Project
mhs homes is supporting a new
intensive family support service helping it to expand in the Medway
area of Kent to help the area’s most troubled families.
Medway Council launched the Medway
Family Intervention Project (FIP) in September 2009 with funding
provided by the Department for Children, Schools and Families.
Medway FIP works with specialist
agencies to support families identified as struggling with
particular issues, such as truancy, housing problems, teenage
pregnancy, substance misuse and anti social behaviour.
Families sign a behaviour contract and
agree a support plan of measures to bring about positive change for
the whole family.
Sanctions and enforcement measures,
such as parenting or anti social behaviour orders or potential loss
of their tenancy can be imposed if the Family Intervention Contract
is broken.
Additional funding from April has now
allowed the Medway FIP to add a further eight FIP Officers to the
two already in post plus also a specialist Health Worker giving the
service sufficient resources to support more families.
mhs homes is committed to the
service and is providing an office base to host the
Family Intervention Project Team at the mhs homes group
headquarters, Broadside. Medway Council’s housing department and
other local housing providers are also supporting the
initiative.
Charles Brangwin, Head of Housing at
mhs homes, said: "This is an exciting new partnership for mhs
homes, that will see families and the community in Medway benefit
from the intense support that will be made available to them
through the Family Interventions Project."
Cllr Les Wicks, Medway Council’s
Portfolio Holder for Children’s Services, said: "FIPs have been
hugely successful elsewhere in helping to turn around families
that, for whatever reason, are struggling to cope.
"We want to repeat this success here
and now have the resources in place to really make a difference not
only to the lives of the families taking part but also the wider
community."
Chief Superintendent Steve Corbishley,
Area Commander for Kent Police in Medway and the Chair of Medway
Community Safety Partnership, said: "This service has the potential
to give Medway’s most challenging families a real opportunity to
turn things around.
Organisations supporting FIP include:
Medway’s Children and Adult Services, Medway’s Youth Offending
Team, Kent Police in Medway, Medway Drug and Alcohol Action Team,
Kent Probation, NHS Medway, Medway Youth Trust, Fairbridge , mhs
homes and other housing providers based in Medway including Medway
Council Housing Department, London and Quadrant Housing, and Hyde
Housing.