Market Engagement for the provision of Early help servies for children on the Isle of wight

The Isle of Wight is faced with the same challenge as other local authorities nationally with increasing demand in terms of both the volume of children and families requiring social care support and the complexity of the challenges they are facing. This pressure, alongside the legacy of the previous inadequate services, has resulted in a steady increase in the number of cases open to children’s services and children in care, at a time where austerity creates an imperative to do things differently.

Consequently we want to build our Early Help service around the following key principals:-

• Promoting the welfare of children and protecting them from significant harm is at the centre of all we do;
• Working together, aligning our resources so we can best support families and do what needs to be done when it needs to be done;
• Using motivational interviewing to engage with families, seeking their consent and agreement;
• Working to families’ strengths – especially those of parents and carers and taking the time to understand their needs fully. Parents say they are motivated by having goals that reflect their family priorities and working with practitioners whose actions are driven by the needs of the child;
• Focusing on solving problems before they escalate and offer flexible responsive support when and where it is required;
• Building the resilience of families and communities to support each other;
• Basing all that we do on evidence, both of what is needed and of what works;
• Being clear and consistent and open about the outcomes we want to achieve, to make a positive difference.

Families will be supported within their local communities through an early help offer that enables them to achieve positive outcomes as described in the Island’s Early Help Strategy by recognising and building upon their strengths and developing their resilience.

It is intended that a supplier day will be held on the 6th March from 14.00 until 16.00 at County Hall High Street Newport Isle of Wight PO30 1UD in Conference Room 3. Upon attendance please report to reception and you will be collected shortly.