Family Intervention Project

What is the Family Intervention Project?

The Family Intervention Project works with:

• Families who are at risk of losing their home and/or are facing legal action from their landlord, Bristol City Council or the Police due to anti-social behaviour.

• Families where young people are either at risk of offending or have repeatedly offended. The project forms part of the Bristol Youth Crime Action Plan. Over half of violent and acquisitive crime in Bristol is committed by about 400 prolific offenders. Many of these offenders live within a family environment. The project targets and engages with these family groups. The average period of engagement for a family is 12 months.

What does the project do?

Families are asked if they want to join the project. Every family who does so is allocated a key worker. The key worker is responsible for working with them to address the issues that may be causing the anti-social or offending behaviour. The key workers have a highly supportive and creative approach, yet adopt an assertive and persistent style of working. They are willing to find and drive through flexible solutions to complex problems.

If you risk losing your home and/or are facing legal action due to anti-social behaviour, the project aims to help families to:

• Stop their anti-social behaviour.
• Enable them to keep their home.
• Reach their potential.

If your family has young people that are either at risk of offending or have repeatedly offended, the project offers:

• The chance to engage with those services that can assist in reducing offending and avoid the risk of court action and/or custody.
• The chance to reduce the level of intensive monitoring, reporting and surveillance by way of their continued engagement with the project.
• Access to support, advice and guidance in addressing life's difficulties.
• The chance to keep their home.
• The chance to reach their potential.

Key workers will coordinate the day to day needs, assessment and support provision for priority families. Cases will be regularly and systematically reviewed with the involvement of all relevant agencies.

Family commitment

By joining the project you must agree to:

• Sign a Family Behaviour Contract. Agreed with all family members, the contract sets out what behaviour is not acceptable, what you are aiming for and what support you will be offered.

• Sign a Support Plan. This is agreed with you and other agencies.

• Attend regular timetabled  Family Group Conference/Multi-agency Meetings. Everyone involved in supporting you will meet to agree a way forward. It is important that all those working with you have the right information about you and that you are getting the right help. Following an initial meeting, there will be regular meetings where you will come together to discuss how things are going and what changes or further help you need.

• Participate in Triple P Parenting Programme/Parenting Support. Parents will attend a ten week group where you will learn new strategies to help your family come together.

• Attend arranged family activity sessions. All families attend a family activity evening to enable them to spend positive time together.

We hope to maintain an active and clear relationship with all members of the family in the aim to effectively engage and consult with families in decisions that affect their lives.

Sanctions

If you are working with the project because you face the risk of losing your home or are facing legal action:

• You must actively engage with the project. If your family's behaviour does not improve, the council or Police may take legal action against you. Whilst the project aims to support you to make the necessary changes, it is up to you to put those changes in place.

If you are working with the project because you are at risk of offending or have repeatedly offended:

• You must actively engage with the project. If you do not this could result in:
  • Increased surveillance and monitoring
  • Breach of licence agreement and return to custody
  • Court action
  • Various orders including Parenting Orders and ASBO's
  • Tenancy enforcement or injunction action

Other interventions

Youth Work

• We have youth workers who young people may have the opportunity to work with. It will be a chance for them to have fun and discuss important issues in their lives.

Domestic Abuse Support

• If you are or have been suffering abuse we can offer a dedicated worker who will support, advise and offer practical help, whether you are a victim or perpetrator of the abuse.