Community Safety Projects
These projects encompass a wide range of services providing support and assistance to children, young people and families across Suffolk who are identified as being in need; promoting the safety and welfare of children, young people and families enabling them to achieve one or more of the recommended outcomes identified in Every Child Matters.
We work in partnership with children, young people and families to actively involve them in the support processes thus building confidence, empowering them to move forward and make positive changes to their lives.
Family Intervention Project (FIP)
In conjunction with the Ipswich Anti-social Behaviour Network who secured funding to deliver the Home Office’s TOGETHER campaign within the town. This funding, together with Anglia Care Trust’s reputation in being willing to both support service users with complex needs and challenge inappropriate behaviour, led to the commissioning of the FIP by Ipswich Borough Council.
The FIP targets a small number of families, who are causing the most nuisance, are at risk of eviction and who are willing to engage and amend behaviour but lack the skills to bring about change on their own. Due to the success of this project, it has expanded into West Suffolk in conjunction with the Western Suffolk Community Safety Partnership.
The FIP supports the whole family using a solution-focused approach to build on the families existing strengths. Intensive support is given within the home facilitating a range of interventions aimed at addressing the underlying causes of the inappropriate behaviours that can lead to anti-social behaviour. Practical help is given to families enabling them to consider and amend behaviour leading to sustained tenancies, moving away from crime and antisocial behaviour and reintegration into the local community.
All the agencies involved with the family must have a common approach to challenge inappropriate behaviour and identify clear objectives that are agreed by everyone. The FIP will assess the family’s needs, develop a Family Support Plan (through attendance at a Family Meeting involving practitioners), risk assess the family circumstances and allocate a key worker (FIP Officer).
Suffolk County Council have recently asked us to extend the Anti-Social Behaviour FIP to target Young Offenders on the DETER strand on the Prolific and Other Priority Offender’s Scheme.
High Demand Families
Following the success of the FIP, we have now been commissioned by Suffolk County Council and Ipswich Borough Council to work in partnership with the FAST team, part of Suffolk Social Services, to deliver intensive support to two families identified as requiring more significant support in the Ipswich area.
Anti Social Behaviour Support
The role of an Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) Support Officer is operated in conjunction with the ASB Network – Ipswich. Evidence to date indicates that many reports of ASB can be addressed, prior to coming to the attention of the ASB Manager and this is the primary function of the role.
The main function of the project is to support the role of the ASB Network Manager – Ipswich ASB Network. Our Support Officer acts as a secondary point of contact for repeated low level incidents of anti-social behaviour within Ipswich.
Family Intervention – Waveney
As with the Ipswich and West Suffolk project, funders in Waveney, the District Council and Lowestoft Together, have commissioned ACT to set up a similar service in the Waveney District.