Families First
At the meeting held on October 16th, club members were treated to a stimulating presentation made by Suzy Kitching, Team Manager of Families First, part of the Joint Children and Adult Services, in Middlesbrough.
Suzy told us of the work of her team in Middlesbrough and the chaotic lives that some people live. The aim of her staff is to support the vulnerable parents of children, who may otherwise be taken into care by social services. For these parents substance misuse is often a problem but this behaviour does not preclude them from the help of the team, both for themselves and their children. However, underpinning the work that they do is the fundamental principal that the needs of the child are paramount. The work of the team is undergoing full evaluation to determine whether its outcomes warrant expansion of the service model elsewhere.
Suzy showed us a DVD of several families and professionals working with the Families First team, illustrating what she had told us in an accessible, clear and professional way.