Intro
Q) How can a Family Support Team help my family?
In families, you will find the strongest feelings, the biggest problems and the Closest bonds. Sometimes these pressures can stretch a family to breaking point or make it very difficult to get families back together after a break up. That's when the Family Support Team can help. We support parents to bring up their own children, strengthen families and safeguard children. The services we offer are very practical. Here are a few examples:
- Getting ready for a new born
- Helping parents improve their parenting skills and understand children's needs with sessions on things like anger management and working it out with a child that is getting into trouble
- Getting together with parents in the same boat to swap ideas, learn about some of the new ideas for dealing with teenagers, share experiences and support each other
- One to one work with children, young people and parents
- Ideas to help with managing money and with daily routines like making meals
- Support to help make sure children's school work does not suffer because of problems at home.
There are two Family Support Teams covering the Borough. One for families in the Heywood and Middleton Townships and the other for the Pennine and
Rochdale Townships. Both are made up of Family Support Workers and Home Support Workers with a wide range of experience in helping families through
difficult times. They share a commitment to:
- Preventing family breakdown
- Helping families to care for their children
- Improving the quality of life of children and young people
- Safeguarding children from abuse and exploitation
- Ensuring children can return safely to their families
- Trying to make a child's home life more stable
Q) Who can get this help?
We can offer help to:
- Families who have children aged 0 to 16 where parents or carers are finding it difficult to cope
- Families who need family support and have a child on the Child Protection Register
- Families where a child is going to return to their parents as part of a care plan.
Q) Who do I ask for this help?
If you are not getting our service already, you must arrange for our help through one of the following services:
- A Social Services Child Care Assessment Team:
* Tel: (0161) 643 1525 if you live in the Middleton or Heywood Township
* Tel: (01706) 865286 if you live in the Rochdale or Pennines Township
- The Youth Offending Team
- The Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service
- The Team for Children and Young People with Disabilities
- Your Health Visitor
- A School Health Practitioner
These services must make sure your family is one of the ones we can help before they ask us to help you (see who can get this help?). Contact us for more details about this and to find out more about us.
Q) How am I involved in decisions?
If we are able to offer help, we will initially meet with you and any other professionals involved to talk about what needs to be done. Then, at least every 6 weeks, we'll talk again to see how things are going.
Q) What if I have a complaint?
You have a right to complain if you are not satisfied with the way you are treated or the services we offer you. Initially, talk to us about it. We will try to sort out any problems there and then. If you are still unhappy after this, we will explain how you can take things further. For more details, ask for the leaflet - How to comment, compliment or complain about social services - available from the Family Support Teams or phone the Customer Relations Service on (01706) 341411