Independent research has highlighted that two per cent of families in the UK suffer significant multiple problems which are often linked with parents not working, children not attending school, youth crime and anti-social behaviour. This in turn places increased demands on local services such as health, social care and criminal justice. In July 2021 we were funded by Bolton Together to deliver a new service which we named ‘RISE’. This is a programme of personalised in-depth therapeutic support enabling children to take steps to create solutions to their difficulties.
How it works
Bolton Together, working with schools and other agencies, refer children and families to us who are likely to benefit most from our support. Our experienced team works closely with a range of agencies and specialist practitioners to provide children and their families with advice, support, guidance and encouragement. Our partnership approach, coupled with our range of in-house services, has helped bring a joined up ‘family focused’ approach to this work.
Each child is given a bespoke service dependent on their needs and the support required. Our support workers are passionate about what they do, often going the extra mile for those they work with, and keeping cases open for as long as our help is needed.
The evidence shows that our approach often works where engagement and relationships with other professionals has broken down. We are consistently able to report good positive outcomes around improved engagement with services, improved attendance at school, successfully accessing skills training and employment, improvements in family approaches, thinking and attitudes, health and housing issues.
Outcomes
Over the course of the last year 69 children and 24 family members were supported by our RISE service. We achieved positive outcomes with 87% of the families we supported over the year. Typically, the outcomes achieved were increased management of emotional regulation, implementing strategies to reduce anxiety and/ or behavioural difficulties, improved school attendance, improved mental health and recovered family relationships.
One school we have worked alongside said “Thank you for the help and support that you’ve given Jenny*. We’ve got through two days of SATs, and she’s been great so far, which is due to your ongoing work with her.”
One parent said “The help I received was second to none. I felt listened to, heard and that me and my son mattered. The RISE worker is absolutely wonderful and a credit to her profession.”
A child we helped said “The support worker has helped me with my behaviour, my thoughts and my actions.”
