The number of young people in care is large and growing: every day, more than 90 are taken in, with over 10,000 looked-after children in London alone. External pressures like Covid-19 make challenging family dynamics even more complex. These young people often suffer from significantly worse life outcomes than their peers. Family therapy can help towards reducing the risk of young people being taken into care, thus improving their life outcomes – all of which reduces costs to the state.
Investment
We are supporting a project called Positive Families Partnership (PFP), which supports families with young people at risk of being taken into care. PFP provides these young people and their families with access to proven family therapy interventions, designed to help them address behavioural and emotional issues. It aims to help prevent young people from entering care, and for those averted from care, increase the time they spend out of care.
This initiative has been commissioned by ten London boroughs and will be delivered by three specialist partners, who collectively bring decades of experience in implementing evidence-based programmes across the UK: Family Psychology Mutual, Family Action UK, and the South West London & St George’s Mental Health NHS Trust.
Outcomes
Positive Families Partnerships has worked with about 350 young people and their families. To date, over 65,000 days of care have been averted, young people spent 90% of the time with their family (compared to an expected 35% without any intervention), and there has been a 33% fall in the number of young people with ‘Child in Need’ or ‘Child Protection’ status.
