The New Family Partnership Service has now been launched and we would very much like to share with you the following updates. We look forward to working collaboratively with you in order to meet the needs of children and young people in Luton.

The Family Partnership Service

The Family Partnership Service will provide intensive support to our vulnerable children, young people and their families. We strongly believe that children belong in their family networks with people they know and who love them and will keep them safe. Our aim is to help children have safe permanent relationships as a basic entitlement.

We will do this by offering:

• Evidence based parenting programmes (such as Strengthening Families, Strengthening Communities, and Incredible Years).
• Domestic violence interventions and support for the whole family.
• School readiness support.
• Substance misuse guidance, advice and support for all family members that require it, through one to one and group sessions.
• Mental health and self-esteem support for all family members that require it, through one to one and group sessions.
• Support to prevent teenage homelessness.
• Support for families with no recourse to public funds. Advice, guidance and limited support for people from abroad who are not eligible to receive benefits and are destitute but are ‘ordinarily a resident’ in Luton.
• Support for children and young people who have special educational needs.

Other support services which will come under the Partnership umbrella will include:

• Supervised contacts and young carers.
• Direct work with children and young people specifically capturing the voice of the children to aid life story work.
• Families who are likely to need extra help to cope with the demands of family life will be offered the opportunity to attend support groups and activities at venues close to them in their local communities where they feel comfortable. For example, in the local library, community centre.

The Family Partnership Service is an agile service and will be working within the community based at various locations which could include, in the family home, virtually, Manor Contact Centre, Beech Hill Primary School, London Road Resource Centre and Limbury Fields Community Centre.

Developing partnerships

The Family Partnership Service will be collaborative in its approach with our partner agencies which will include primary and secondary schools, nursery provisions, the Early Years Alliance, Health colleagues, other Council Services and communities.  If the support required by a family is best met from within the community, then either an Early Years coordinator or a family support worker from the new service will assist in identifying the most appropriate resources and referral routes to these services.

Referral Route into the new service:

To make a referral into the Luton Partnership Service you can use the online referral which is available for both professionals and the public. This can be accessed through the Luton Borough Council Website, children’s safeguarding page.

Luton Borough Council Children’s safeguarding webpage

 

As from the 9 April 2021 there will no longer be the need to complete an Early Help Assessment to access the new service. The new on line form will cover referrals for both Social Care and the new Partnership service.

We welcome any questions about the service, please direct these to the Head of Service, Diane.Rushby@luton.gov.uk.