The Head of Children’s Social Care introduced the report which provided an update on the progress and performance of Thurrock’s expanded Troubled Families Programme that aimed to assist 1160 more families by May 2020.

Councillor Roast queried how the target figure of 1160 families was determined and whether this was the maximum that could be offered support. In response the Head of Children’s Social Care explained that the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) set the minimum target figure of 1160 families for the scheme to be deemed a success, but that more could be assisted above and beyond that number.

The Committee were advised that during Phase 1 of the Troubled Families Programme Thurrock had exceed their target and helped to turn around the lives of more families.

Reverend Barlow highlighted that such cases were not easy to turnaround and that many families would require ongoing support to ensure that any positive progress made was sustainable in the long-term and expressed concern that the programme could become a simple tick-box exercise.

Members were assured that each case was reviewed by the Troubled Families Board and calculations made as to how long support was offered and what outcomes could be demonstrated in real terms. It was reported that Phase 1 of the Troubled Families Programme had only finished in May 2015 so that there still was further work to be undertaken in order to examine long term effects.

Councillor Halden observed that the scheme was clearly working but questioned how much money had been saved and how this compared to other local authorities, to which Members were advised that £1.3 million had been recharged and Thurrock was the only authority that had completed early in the eastern region.

Councillor Halden further questioned whether this work could be traded with other local authorities in order to generate income, in response the Head of Children’s Social Care explained that this would be difficult as each local authority faced different issues and it was important that Thurrock focused on succeeding itself in order to maximise the payment by results benefits, although Phase 2 did offer more flexibility regarding traded services.

Reverend Barlow observed that he was uneasy regarding the payment by results aspect of the scheme and questioned whether this was a help or a hindrance to officers.

In response, the Head of Children’s Social Care explained that he felt that the payment by results aspect of the scheme was a help as officers were required to evidence success, which had been something that previously the local authority had not been good at. He added that Thurrock had learnt a lot from the data set model used by the Troubled Families Programme and that officers were now looking at where the model could be better used across other services.

Councillor Halden requested that an update be provided to the Committee once the cost calculator was completed so that Members could be assured that an existing service was not simply being repackaged.

RESOLVED:

That the committee scrutinise the work completed on the Troubled Families programme and acknowledge the impact the programme has had on turning around the lives of children and adults in Thurrock.