What is Futures for Families?
At Middlesbrough Council we want to help families stay together, we want to keep homes safe and most of all enable children to have the future they desire.
The Department for Education (DfE) have invested into the project to help councils develop their work with families and safely reduce the number of children entering care, helping to keep young people safe and with their family and community.
Futures for Families is based on North Yorkshire County Council’s ‘No Wrong Door’ model which has, and continues to, successfully support children and families to achieve positive outcomes. Here you can find a short animation called ‘No Wrong Door for Alex’ which shows how everyone works together for a young person.
Click here to watch 'No Wrong Door for Alex'How can Futures for Families help?
I am a young person. How can Futures for Families help me?
Futures for Families is a new project made up of a team of professionals from lots of backgrounds and organisations who work together to make sure young people are safe and cared for. You will have a designated key worker who is there to listen and support you throughout your time with Futures for Families. Relationships are the foundations which Futures for Families is built on and we understand the importance of you having strong relationships with your family and friends. Every young person is different and we recognise and celebrate all that you have achieved and will achieve in the future.
What can Futures for Families do for my family?
At Futures for Families we understand the difficulties and complexities of family life and we will work with you to ensure that we support you to get over this difficult period in your family life. This approach has achieved successful outcomes for many young people and their families in other areas.
Why have I been referred to Futures for Families?
You may have been referred to the service by a professional in your life who has an understanding that you are finding life hard at the moment and would really benefit from the help and support the Futures for Families team provides. We recognise that families know their own lives and they are the experts on their situation.
How can I speak to someone?
The family and / or young person you are working with might already have contact with a social worker in Middlesbrough Council, please contact them to discuss the process.
For more information about the Futures for Families team, please email futuresforfamilies@middlesbrough.gov.uk or call 01642 728532 and a member of our team will be back in touch to help.
Supported lodgings
Our Futures For Families service is looking for people from all walks of life, living in Middlesbrough, to help local young people turn their lives around by becoming a high-needs supported lodgings host. If you enjoy making a difference and you have a spare room, we’d love to hear from you. Becoming a supported lodgings host can also be a great way to earn an additional income. It’s more flexible than fostering so suits people who may be working, either full or part-time.
Hub community family placements
Fostering is an incredible journey – if you choose to join us you’ll receive a generous financial allowance, 24/7 support and fantastic training opportunities. More importantly, you’ll also have the chance to make a real difference to the life of an adolescent. It's hard work, but also rewarding to know that you’re making a difference to a vulnerable young person’s life.
Specialist Foster Carers will receive a fixed weekly fee, which is currently set at £490.44. This fee will continue after placement for up to 3 weeks annually. In addition, the weekly age related fostering allowance will also be paid and will continue after placement for up to 3 weeks annually.
View opportunities
The Relational Practice Service
The Relational Practice Service is a part of the wider Futures for Families service and offers bespoke intervention from trained lived experience workers. These workers will support young people and those around them to understand their relationships, repair harm and restore relationships.
This will be achieved through direct work and mediation, mentoring and through engagement with professionals around the young person acting as an advocate so that the young person voice is heard. To view our leaflet, with information on how to get in touch click here.
We've been mentioned in the Strengthening Families, Protecting Children Journal!
The Strengthening Families, Protecting Children Journal is a regular publication dedicated to sharing valuable learning and insights from the Strengthening Families, Protecting Children (SFPC) Programme from Department for Education. You can find us being mentioned in both of the journals via the link below!
This shows how we are getting national recognition for the work we are doing in keeping families together. We are passionate about what we do, and we are glad other people are too.
See the Journals Here!
