November 2021

Families First News

The latest news

Supporting Families Practice Team Update

Supporting Families Practice Team – Formerly Families First Partnerships, Practice & Development Team

As you may already be aware, we have had a team name change from the Families First Partnerships, Practice & Development Team to the Supporting Families Practice Team. We are still the same team, providing Families First Helpdesk support, delivering EHM system, Key worker and TAF Member training, practice support, guidance and advice, stakeholder engagement, contributing to the Consultation Hub, quality assurance for external partners and facilitation of Practice Forum. We will continue to support you with all things FFA and EHM related as required.

Until recently, we delivered our service in a double district delivery model with a Senior Families First Coordinator and a Families First Coordinator covering each double district. We have changed our service delivery model to quadrants to align with the wider Family Support and Services for Young People Service structures as of 01 November 2021. This means we now work in four Quadrants with a Senior and Families First Coordinator covering each Quadrant as set out below:

Broxbourne, East Herts and Welwyn/Hatfield Quadrant

  • Senior Families First Coordinator – Mandi Tsamados

Dacorum & St Albans Quadrant

  • Senior Families First Coordinator – Helen Whyman

Stevenage & North Herts Quadrant

  • Senior Families First Coordinator – Holly Turl

Watford, Three Rivers & Hertsmere Quadrant

  • Senior Families First Coordinator – Anna Wood

Whilst this will not change the ways of working for many, some districts will notice a change in their  Senior Families First Coordinators and Families First Coordinators, but the level of support remains the same across all districts.  

In addition to this, we have a few new staff who have joined the team or changed roles within the team. We have updated the Seniors and Families First Coordinators details for your area which can be found in Speak to someone on the Families First Portal.

We have also updated our Team Offer, clearly evidencing our support offer available to practitioners and partners following a change to the way that we have been working. We will continue to offer 1:1 support virtually and face to face as well as bespoke training sessions to meet any need that you may have when undertaking Families First Assessments or using the EHM System.

We have undertaken an extensive review of how we deliver our training in light of feedback received  and streamlined all training with a focused FFA and EHM training sessions with a simple booking system. You will find all details of our training sessions in the Training and learning (Families First) area of the Families First Portal.

Finally, we have updated the Early Help – information for professionals and partners  to ensure that you have access to all of the above information and more, so please do remember to visit the Portal for all of your Families First needs. It continues to be an expanding and ever evolving source of information for all things Early Help and is an invaluable resource to all families and Practitioners across Hertfordshire.

Please contact your local Senior or Families First Coordinator in the first place and for any other issues regarding the work of the team please contact Serena Yearwood – Team Manager.

 

 

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