Torbay Council Children’s Services commissions Westward Housing to deliver Torbay Young Parents’ Service with the aim of providing support and accommodation for young families aged 16 to 24 to live together successfully in their community.
The service provides support in a safe living space for up to 12 months, giving young parents – both single and couples - the opportunity to build skills, knowledge and confidence to move towards living independently. The service offers outreach to young parents waiting to come into the service and resettlement support of up to four weeks for those moving on.
As each parent’s situations varies, individual needs are carefully assessed through referral information and trauma informed discussion with the dedicated support workers. Tailored support is provided through a combination of one to one and group support, including developing parenting skills, weaning and cooking, budgeting and tenancy-related support, and finding education or voluntary work experience, while a multi-agency approach ensures joined up working with practitioners involved in each family’s care. To engage young fathers who are not living as a couple, the service has set up a ‘dads group’ to provide emotional support and develop practical parenting skills.
Through a partnership with the local authority Family Hub, additional onsite input is provided by Action for Children, including a course on babies’ brain development. Sexual health and contraception are included as part of each parent’s support plan with referrals to the local SRH clinic and condoms provided by the c-card trained support worker. Bringing outside agencies into the service which is familiar and comfortable makes it easier for young parents to engage. It also builds their knowledge of and confidence in accessing services when they are living independently.
The cornerstone of the service is the dedicated support workers and the trusted relationship they develop with the young parents. Drawn from a variety of backgrounds, one of the key criteria for recruitment is the passion to work with young parents and their children. Regular supervision within the team also enables staff to work in a trauma and restorative manner.
A Senior Support Worker and Parenting lead in Westward Housing runs various group sessions for young parents, on and off site and encourages feedback on ways to improve the services provided. The Service Manager also meets with all young parents on a quarterly basis (or sooner if applicable) to gain their feedback on the support they receive and the processes within the services, with the aim of gaining a better understanding of young parents needs and where to make potential changes.
The service is monitored through a ‘distance travelled’ approach, assessing progress across a range of measures, as well as reviewing qualitative feedback from young parents:
“Since being in my flat I am more independent, and I know I can live by myself and manage my bills”.
“I have learnt parenting techniques for the future, and this has made me understand my child more”.
Lessons learned
- Trusted and dedicated support workers with an understanding of trauma informed approaches are key to effectively engaging young parents
- Careful assessment is needed to tailor the support offer to meet individual needs.
- A safe living space with support gives young parents the time to develop the skills and confidence they need for independent living.
- However the increased vulnerability of young parents and the limited capacity of available support poses significant challenges, particularly if residents need to be moved on before they are ready.