“Working together” Coventry City Council Early Help Strategy wants a shared commitment to help meet the needs of struggling families. Can the VCSE fit into this?

 Coventry is a city of contrasts, with a population that is growing all the time. It is a youthful City, but it also has a significant amount of people and families below the national average income range.

23% of Coventry children aged 0-15 live in relative low-income families compared to 19% nationally

22% of Coventry Population are children and young people aged under 17

 33% of the population are from minority ethnic groups

Children receiving free school meals are the least well performing

69% rise in domestic abuse over last 5 years

1 in 7 people applying for housing is because of overcrowding or homelessness

25% of homes are privately rented

Crime incidents between 2011 and 2021 grew by 4.7% per year (Early Help Strategy 2022 -2025)

What is the Early Help Strategy?

The Coventry City Council Early Help strategy envisions how organisations, both statutory and voluntary can work together to provide struggling families the right help at the right time, to prevent the situation escalating to further intervention. Incorporating people’s lives from before birth to 19 years old the strategy aims to meet support needs before they become more difficult to overcome, for example children’s development before school where the additional support provided can help children get the most from their education.

For more information:

https://www.coventry.gov.uk/earlyhelp

Partnership between different organisations are crucial for the model to work.

Family Hubs have a key role within the strategy and within the communities they serve, to link families, children and young people to the services, voluntary, community and statutory to best meet their needs as early as possible

As part of the delivery the Early Hep Partnership wants the VCSE to engage with the Family  Outcomes groups  to share their ideas and link to other services, they are:-

• Good early years’ development
• Getting a good education
• Improved mental and physical health
• Crime prevention and tackling crime
• Safe from domestic abuse
• Secure Housing
• Financial stability
• Promoting recovery and reducing harm from Substance Abuse
• Improved family relationships
• Children safe from abuse and exploitation

Outcomes Groups

There are outcome groups part of “Doing it together” that oversee an area within the strategy and bring organisations together to meet the needs of families in those areas ofwork. These groups are open to everyone and are about to begin, to set the agenda and framework for the way they work together.

The overall strategy is overseen by the Early Help Strategic Partnership.

For more practical information.

https://www.coventry.gov.uk/earlyhelp

Can this work for the voluntary sector?

Family Hubs will have free space that organisations can use to hold meetings or deliver group activities.

Working within the strategy can improve the lives and experiences of some of the most vulnerable people in Coventry. It will potentially provide added value and good evidence of partnership working.

There will be funding available for specific outcomes.

Outcome groups can help organisations connect to other services and possibilities, as well as set future agendas and delivery for the next two years. Allowing you to have your say.

Issues

Issues for the voluntary sector,  to take time out of delivering our services is always difficult, especially in these problematic times with issues around volunteers and funding – but it could be worth finding out more. It will provide a good link to others in a similar role to improve partnership working. And potentially good for future funding too.

If you are interested in finding out more about the outcome groups contact ruth.colgan@coventry.gov.uk

Networking and Collaboration Event

Children, young people and families with Jane Moffat, early help

Date and venue to be confirmed

To book a place contact Ruth r.burdett@vacoventry.org.uk 024 7531 5909

For more information about the VCSE Alliance see https://www.vacoventry.org.uk/page/vcse-membership-and-specialist-supportservices or contact Ruth Burdett as above.