Family Support

Bringing up children is exciting and enjoyable but it is also demanding, tiring and stressful. At times we all need help, as none of us are trained to be parents. Social Services can offer support and advice to both children and parents.  We aim to work alongside you to offer information and services in your community.

Keeping the Family Together

At Social Services we aim to work with parents, not instead of them, to help provide for the best interests of their children.  We believe that the best care can be provided within the family home and in the vast majority of cases we work to achieve that outcome.  Only when there are grave difficulties and where the child's needs cannot be met do we provide for other arrangements.  This alternative care would, if at all possible, be a short-term measure wherein the children would ideally be placed with other family members.  It is worthwhile to reiterate that we aim to work in partnership with parents to safeguard the children's interests and to try to keep the family together. 

Who is Eligible?

To receive family support, an assessment of your child and families needs will take place to ensure that Social Services are best placed to meet these needs. Your involvement in this assessment is important, as it is our aim to support you to safely parent your child.

What Help Can We Offer?

• Support to your family to enable you to live together better.
• Opportunities for you as parents and carers to learn new skills.
• Opportunities for young children to learn through play.
• To support you to cope with your children better.
• Opportunities for you to learn how to deal with problems and become more confident.
• Services that recognise that all children and adults have different needs, and to respond to those needs.
• Support and services that work with you to protect your children from harm.

How We Provide Support

There are many different ways that Social Services can offer support to children and their family.  The services may also be provided in combination in order to help your child and family in the best way that we can. 

• By talking to you and your children to find out what services might be best for you.
• By offering a mixture of services to suit your particular family.
• Recognising that you and your children have multi-cultural, religious and linguistic needs.
• Working in partnership with you to recognise that as parents you have prime responsibility for your children.
• To signpost you to other community services.
• For those children who are not able to live together with you at home, we will work with you to assess how to safely return your children home, when it is safe to do so.  
• It is our priority to offer support to enable you and your family to live safely together.
  

Norfolk House

Our team at Norfolk House provides support to children over the age of 10, young people and their families.  At Norfolk House we aim to work with all aspects of the child and young person's life, including making links with other agencies such as education or health who may be able to play a substantial role in the child's development.  A number of other agencies use the facilities to provide services that you may find useful.  Please follow the link for more information on Norfolk House.

Family Group Conferences

A family group conference is a way of getting you and your family together to make some decisions and plan for a child or young person for whom there are concerns.  A family group conference can help to sort out problems by asking general questions such as:

• What help does this family need to cope better?
• What support does 'A' need to help him get to school?
• What ideas and plans can the family come up with to protect 'A' from harm?
• Where is the best place for 'A' to live?

At a family group conference is ultimately your job as a family to decide what is the best way forward for your child.  Only where there are genuine shortfalls in resourcing your suggestions or where the child's welfare may be placed at risk, will your plan not be followed.  Please follow the link for more information on Family Group Conferences.

If you think you might benefit from any service provided by Social Services and you would like us to contact you by phone or email, please click the following link and complete the Social Services Contact Us/Self Referral Online Form and someone will be in touch with you as soon as possible.

Family Support Meeting

A family support meeting is attended by professionals to discuss the best course of action to safeguard your child's interests.  This course of action would be explained more fully to you, should the initial assessment indicate that it is necessary. 

Family Friends

Family Friends is an independent local charity which provides support to parents of young children throughout the Royal Borough.  They have a team of volunteers who may be able to help you, either by looking after your children at home, taking them out to give you a break or by being there for you to talk.  For more information please call 01628 683395.

Family Support Centre

Currently there are plans to develop a Family Support Centre, located in Maidenhead, to service the needs of families throughout the Borough.  At this centre we will be able to provide support to enhance confident parenting, the parent-child relationship and boundary setting at home. 

Contacts

Social Services Children and Families Referral and Assessment Team
Please contact the Referral and Assessment team for any enquiries regarding our children's services in the Royal Borough
Tel: 01628 683150

Children's Service Directory
Here you will find contact details for specific services, as well as information about which children are eligible for the service and the correct referral procedures.
Link to Children's Service Directory

Parentline Plus
This is a free helpline offering help and information to anyone caring for children
Tel: 0802 800 2222

Childline
This is a free helpline for children / young people to talk to somone about any problems
Tel: 0800 1111