Families First Partnership summit sets out plans to strengthen support

Plans to strengthen how families are supported in Telford and Wrekin were set out at a Families First Partnership Programme summit yesterday, 15 April.

Telford & Wrekin Council is working with schools, police and the health sector to deliver the Families First Partnership Programme (FFPP).

The programme is a national Department for Education reform initiative aimed at shifting children’s services from reactive intervention toward proactive, relational and family‑led support.

The summit focused on how services across the Borough will deliver the programme, building on the strength of existing services and working together to provide earlier, more joined‑up help for families, reduce duplication, and ensure children are supported to remain within their families wherever it is safe to do so.

For families, the changes mean they will be able to access the right help earlier, there will be better information-sharing between services and stronger relationships between practitioners and families.

The Council has received government funding of £1.4million, which will be used collectively across the partnership to deliver the programme in Telford and Wrekin.

The funding is being used to implement new measures around family help to provide practical, relational support around parenting, school attendance, emotional wellbeing and family pressures.

It’s also being used to expand Family Group Decision Making, enabling families to lead their own plans with the right support around them and to prepare for new multi-agency protection arrangements, bringing key partners together for improved decision-making.

Councillor Shirley Reynolds, Cabinet Member for Children, Young People, Education, Employment and Skills, said:

“We have a strong track record of delivering outstanding services for children, young people and families across our borough, and we’re incredibly proud of this.

“Through the Families First Partnership Programme, we will implement the government’s social care reforms while building on our firm foundations in early help, safeguarding and partnership working.

“Our early years outcomes clearly demonstrate the value of supporting families as early as possible, and our family help teams and family hubs are already providing preventative, relationship‑based support.

“With £1.4 million from the programme, we are strengthening what works: expanding family group decision‑making, enhancing family help pathways and preparing for new multi‑agency child protection models.

“We’re not starting again - we’re boosting success. Our aim is one seamless, family‑led system of support for children and families across Telford and Wrekin.”

Vanessa Whately, Chief Nursing Officer at NHS Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin, said:

“The Families First Partnership Programme represents an important step forward in how we support children and families across Telford and Wrekin. By strengthening early, relationship‑based help and improving the way we work together across agencies, we can make sure families receive the right support at the right time.

“Our focus is on building a seamless, compassionate system that empowers families, reduces duplication for practitioners, and enables children to thrive safely within their homes and communities. We are proud to work alongside our partners to deliver these reforms and ensure families experience care that is joined‑up, respectful and truly centred around what matters most to them.”

Sally Sixsmith, Headteacher at St George’s Primary School, said:

“As educators, our relationships with children and families place us in a strong position to act early. Families First builds on those foundations so support can be coordinated before challenges escalate. When we work together, support becomes clearer for families, with consistent messages. No single agency can meet the full range of a child’s needs, but as a partnership, we can.”