This part of the service supports children returning home on a rehabilitation plan or with families where children are subject to Child Protection plans and remain at home.
The focus of this work is on teaching parenting strategies to help parents improve their skills in effectively managing their child’s emotions and behaviour and meeting their developmental needs. Techniques are used from the Webster Stratton ‘Incredible Years’ parenting programme and from the ‘Video-feedback Intervention to promote Positive Parenting and Sensitive Discipline’. Both programmes have an extensive research base.
The Incredible Years programme has been shown to be effective at reducing behavioural difficulties with children aged between 3 and 8 years old.
The Video Intervention Programme (VIPP) has been shown to be effective at promoting parental understanding and attachment security in children aged between 1 and 5 years old.
The service can also help parents establish and maintain care routines, provide advice and guidance on home safety, cleanliness, budgeting, play and stimulation and help build links to local community support.
To maintain a ‘child’s eye view’ and focus on the child’s needs, this service includes individual work with the child and observation of parent/child interaction in the family home. The service is also regularly reviewed by measuring progress against agreed targets.
Key characteristics of outreach services include:
- Proactive Engagement: outreach workers actively reach out to individuals or communities in need. This can involve going to their homes, meeting them in public spaces, or using various forms of communication to establish contact.
- Targeted Populations: outreach services are often focused on specific populations or communities, such as at-risk youth, vulnerable adults, people with substance abuse issues, or those who may be experiencing domestic abuse.
- Assessment and Support: outreach workers assess the needs of the individuals they encounter and provide information, resources, and support. This can include addressing health issues, providing access to social services, offering counselling, or helping with crisis intervention.
- Advocacy: outreach workers may act as advocates for the people they serve, helping them navigate complex systems and ensuring their rights and needs are addressed.
Service feedback
“with the input of outreach worker and DIW, now her daughter reports her whereabouts and when mother calls her, she picks up the phone."
"The transition of my son returning into my care was smooth thanks to outreach work team input and support."
"At the beginning, I was resistant to the support because I am proactive, but then I found outreach support helpful around healthy relationships."