Findings from the Innovation Fund Evaluation

James Ronicle, York Consulting2nd May, 2012

Overview of Presentation

• Background to the Innovation Fund• Support Delivered and the Benefits• Challenges in Delivering Support• How Challenges Were/Could be Overcome• Impact of Support on Families

Also drawing on York Consulting’s wider work in area: Evaluation of Family and Young Carer Pathfinders (DfE) Evaluation of Young Carers Grant (Carers Trust) Evaluation of Sheffield Young Carers Steering Group Evaluation of Blackpool Young Carers

Background to the Innovation Fund £1m from DCSF 2010-11, co-ordinated

by NYCC & managed by Carers Trust: 20 Young Carer projects funded

across England, receiving on average £40,000. Expanded service to provide support for whole family. Delivered support to just under 600 young carers & their families.

Evaluation involved:

Analysis of Outcomes

Data

Case Study Visits to 6 Projects

Review of Project

Documents

Telephone Interviews with all 20

Projects

“To reduce the amount of excessive or harmful care undertaken by young carers under the age of 18, through the adoption of a whole family approach by selected Young Carer Projects in England.”

Types of Support Delivered

Whole Family

Approach

Whole Family Support

Family Group Conferencing

Therapeutic Support

Whole Family Positive

Activities

Whole Family SupportG

louc

este

rshi

re FSW RoleFamily visits to agree action planDirect emotional & practical supportDraw-in & liaise with other agencies (e.g. Adult Mental Health, Substance Misuse, schools)

Blac

kpoo

l Out-of-hours (evenings & weekend) provision to provide point of contact during crises

Overview• Family Support Worker Role• Whole Family Assessments• Team Around the Family (TAF) Meetings

Benefits• Better understanding of family• Improved support package for family• Improved family engagement

Family Group Conferencing• Family based decision making• Immediate & wider family take lead in drawing up

Action Plan• Services play supporting role

Overview

• Empowers family• Reduces caring role by drawing in wider family• Gives young carers a voice in support plan• Greater understanding of family

Benefits

Barnardo’s Voices• Central FGC service offered to many

young carer projects

Barnardo’s Liverpool• ‘Message in a Bottle’ embedded into

FGC• Key info stored in bottle to aid

services during crises

Therapeutic Support

Overview

• “Rich, open, tough, relevant family-centred discussions” (PM)• Support sessions delivered to groups of families• Focused on range of issues:• Mental health• Stress• Bereavement• Sometimes involved expert practitioners (CAMHS, doctors)

Benefit

s

• Plugged a gap in support below thresholds• Improved communication & understanding between family members• Reduced stress• Created support networks (often sustained)

Kidstime

• Action for Children Thanet & Canterbury

• Supported parents with mental health difficulties

• Opportunity for adults to talk• Creative sessions to improve

young carers’ understanding:• Pass the

parcel• Making brains

with vegetables• Treasure hunt• ‘Superhero’

puppets

Stress-Busting Course

• Eastern Ravens Trust• Weekly arts & crafts sessions

to provide respite & place to talk

• ‘Stress busting bag’ given to families:

• Relaxation techniques booklet

• Stress balls• Visualisation

techniques• Healthy

recipes

Bereavement Support

• St Michael’s & St Christopher’s Hospices

• Support for young carer and family with family member near bereavement

• Creative methods to aid emotive discussions:

• ‘Volcanoes’ & ‘Journeys’ representing emotions

• Music therapy

Whole Family Positive ActivitiesOverview

• Family Fun days• Weekend residentials• Weekly positive activities (e.g. coffee mornings)• Focused support for individual families

Benefits• Improved family relationships• Reduced stress• Better understanding of family• Improved family engagement

Get Cooking• Action for Children Dudley • Cookery classes for young carers• Family invited at end to share meal

Focused Support for Families with Mental Health• Barnardo’s Carefree• Support families to engage in positive

activities in community independently• Volunteer supports family overcoming

barriers to positive activities

Challenges in Delivery

Appropriately Skilled

Workforce

Engaging Families

Level of Resources

Engaging Other

Agencies

Overcoming the Challenges• Extensive development & training• Ensure recruiting practitioners with wide experience in children’s and

adult services• Second practitioners from adult services to create multi-agency team

Appropriately Skilled Workforce

• Key is building trust:• Large amounts of contact time• Whole family positive activities to introduce the service• Practical tasks first

Engaging Families

• Factor in time:• Before activity for planning• After activity for follow-up

Level of Resources

• Engage with senior managers• Regular contact

Engaging Other Agencies

Impact

Impact on FamiliesImproved Well-being

Reduced Isolation

Improved Family Functioning

Greater Understanding of Issues

Increased Resilience

Improved Happiness

Greater support from wider agencies

• Reduced caring roles in a third of families• Improved ability to cope with caring role in a

third of families

Pre-Support Post-Support

44%

61%

39%

29%

17%10%

Percentage of Young Carers Reporting Concerns with their Ability to Cope with their Caring Role Pre- and

Post-Support

No Concern Of Concern Of Major Concern

Impact on Young Carers

FEEDBACK FROM PARENTS

I’m really grateful for the care worker support – I was struggling and didn’t want my son to have

to do all that for me.

It made you feel closer as a family. It brought me and my son closer.

My family are hopeful of our future and I am feeling more positive.

FEEDBACK FROM YOUNG CARERS

I used to be angry at school everyday. I would shout for no reason. Now I’m nowhere near as

angry as I used to be.

After we got back, mum’d be happy and bubbly, that put me in a good mood – it felt good that

she’s happier.

Thank you for giving back our family.

Conclusion

• Innovation Fund showcased voluntary sector’s added value to whole family working. Very innovative approaches in a ‘family-friendly’ environment.

• Further demonstrated that supporting the whole family can reduce caring responsibilities.

But…

• Approach can be challenging and requires significant commitment from both young carer service and other agencies.