Doncaster Families Information Service

Integrated Family Support Service

Introduction to the Doncaster Integrated Family Support Service

What do we mean by family support?

What do we mean by family support?

Children, young people and their families may need additional support at some points in their lives. For many this support will come through informal networks of family and friends, and through their contact with universal services such as health services and schools. At points of stress or crisis, these families are likely to seek additional support, both through their informal support networks and by seeking out ‘optional’ services such as support from the Integrated Family Support Service, which has brought together Children’s Centres, Youth Services and Family Support under one service.

Our intention is that the Integrated Family Support Service will offer a range of opportunities and early intervention and prevention services which are appropriate to meet the needs of children, young people and their families. These services will be delivered in the community in partnership with partner agencies such as Health, Social Care and Schools and through Children’s Centres and Youth Centres across Doncaster.

Services cover children from conception through to 19 years old or up to 24 years old where appropriate (children with a disability) and their families. The types of service you can expect to access are Universal Services (open to all) and more specialist targeted services or Family Support Evidence Based Interventions (Referred). These services are described briefly over the next few pages.

Universal Services (Open to All)

These baseline services are available to everyone in the Doncaster borough area. There are no specific criteria to meet except to be a parent/carer or a young person. Access remains unchanged and should a young person wish to join a youth club they simply walk in as they would have done prior to the formation of the Doncaster IFSS; similarly if a family wishes to access the facilities of a Children’s Centre the route is the same.

The types of Universal Services that can be accessed are:

For 0-10 year olds and their families

• Open access drop-in sessions
• Stay and play
• Musical Minis
• Personal development
• Family and Community Learning
• Life skills
• Socialising
• Health drop-in
• Baby clinic
• Midwifery
• Smoking cessation
• Group work
• Infant massage
• Child Safety Week
• Transition to school sessions
• Signposting to other services
• What’s on in your local area and Children’s Centres
• Cultural celebrations

For 11-19 year olds

• Life skills
• Socialising
• Volunteering
• Accredited awards
• Family and community learning
• Information, advice & guidance
• Signposting to other services
• Information on getting into work or education or training
• Advocacy
• Engagement in positive activities
• Group work
• Personal development
• Youth Council access and elections
• Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme
• What’s on in your local area and Youth Centres
• Sexual health clinics
• Contraception
• Counselling service

For universal services please contact the Doncaster Families Information Service on freephone telephone number: 0800 138 4568 or email fis@doncaster.gov.uk
Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm

Family Support Evidence Based Interventions (by Referral)
For children, young people and their families who may need some extra support targeted services are available which will bring together a range of service responses to vulnerable children, young people and families in a coordinated and integrated manner. The service offers a timed piece of work: evidence based, reviewed and evaluated.
For example:

For 0-10 year olds and their families
• Parenting programmes – The Incredible Years, Solihull, Triple P.
• 1:1 support offered to enable families to implement positive changes in behaviour, routine, debt, housing, play, bereavement, support to access services, health appointments, domestic abuse, education, employment and training.

For 11-19 year olds
• ABC contract and 1:1 support – To address negative behaviour and support transitions into positive activities.
• Access to counselling for young people.
• Targeted youth support provided through engagement in positive activities, school group sessions and the Princes Trust accredited through the Asdan Award scheme.
• Sexual health clinics
• Contraception
• Counselling service

Access for Family Support Interventions is through a referral process.
These referrals can come through:
• Self Referral – Walking into a Youth Centre or Children’s Centre.
• Schools & Health Referrals – Schools and Health will use the Common Assessment Framework to identify a need and invite the Integrated Family Support Service to attend a Team Around the Child meeting.
• Targeted Family Support Teams – Invite the Integrated Family Support Service to attend a Children In Need meeting or Core Group to do a specific piece of work.
• Children’s Multi-agency Referral and Assessment Service – Where appropriate
may refer back out and advise the referring agency to call a Team Around the Child meeting and to invite, if appropriate, the Integrated Family Support Service.
• Other agencies also refer into the Integrated Family Support Service and for more details you can contact an Area Team Manager.

Please see attached map and table of area bases and Area Support Managers to identify who to talk to make a referral or to make an enquiry.

The map below links to each area team in Doncaster, please click on your area of the map.

Children's Centre Satisfaction Survey

Please take a few minutes to complete the Children's Centre Satisfaction Survey. The form has been produced as an interactive PDF which can be downloaded here:

February 2012 Children's Centre Satisfaction Survey

Please complete and return the form either by email to peter.gallacher@doncaster.gov.uk hand deliver to any of Doncasters 21 Children's Centres or post to Early Years and Childcare Service, Richmond HIll, Melton Road, Sprotbrough, Doncaster, DN5 7SB.

Last Updated: 07/02/2012