Help Field Lane Support The Children of Homeless Families. We are seeking core support funding for the children’s services and parenting support at our project for 17 homeless families (a hostel) in Notting Hill London. The aim of the project is that parents learn new skills and gain more understanding about family responsibilities and the raising of their children. Many of the parents are very young with young children themselves. The impact of homelessness on children has been well researched, yet there is no statutory source of funding to cover support work with them. Field Lane is currently shouldering the burden of providing front line support to homeless children, and addressing the parenting needs of their parents without recourse to any statutory funding. In the current economic climate this is becoming unsustainable. Support outputs Our current residential project is for 17 homeless families who are housed in our self contained units We also offer outreach support to families for up to 6 months after they have moved on. The Children's Services Manager position is an integral part of our support services and supports parents with everyday and long standing parenting issues and arranges engaging and appropriate activities for their children. She works with our support workers and the families, so that support plans mutually agreed with our tenants ensure that the children’s needs are taken into account and that full use is made of local amenities, including registration with GP’s and nurseries as appropriate, as well as health and community services. The support plans are reviewed regularly and added to as the tenant/worker relationship develops. The children’s services manager inputs into this process to ensure child centred targets are developed and achieved. We have secured donated funding and resources to provide integrated activities for parents and children, including Art and Music Therapy, Baby Massage and Yoga, storytelling and the celebrations of all birthdays and major religious and cultural festivals. The American Bright Horizons Foundation has helped us to develop a communal space with an integrated soft play area. This area is Bright Horizon’s first initiative in the UK and is a popular social space where parents, children and staff can interact, share and learn. It also helps the Children's Services Manager to observe both parent/child and child/child interactions. The Children's Services Manager uses OFSTED child development indicators to monitor child development and our own investment in staff development has meant that the Children's Services Manager is one of three project staff fully qualified in Parenting Skills coaching. The Children’s Services Manager role incorporates the delivery of parenting skills classes in which she is supported by two fully trained colleagues. These two hour sessions are held in blocks of eight weeks and are important not only in the knowledge shared, but also in the peer support that it encourages between residents. She also uses one to one sessions and other group work around child rearing issues such as breast feeding, weaning and feeding and runs Arts and Crafts sessions to enhance the children’s social skills and interaction. She is also responsible for encouraging mothers to attend health visitor sessions, to keep their red books up to date for immunisations and to register with a GP. In this she often goes to appointments herself to ensure they are kept. The Children’s Services Manager also works closely with local authority social service departments in regards to the children that are on the At Risk Register. This ensures that collaborative working promotes the well being of the children. In line with government initiatives, we have put a lot of emphasis on parenting, however, as we receive no funding for work with children, the annual reductions in Supporting People funding have led us to shed support worker posts and the current team are stretched to the limit and would be unable to replace the support offered by the Children’s Services Manager. Service outcomes. The funding sought will allow us to continue to support the children and the parenting focus that we have developed and outlined above. •Children support services will remain an integral part of the support offered by the project to homeless families. •Parents will increase their knowledge and confidence in child rearing and parenting through the daily interventions of the Children’s Services Manager and parenting workshops. •Additional workshops and activities will retain the focus on child development and encourage positive parent/child relationships. •Collaborative work with social services will be maintained for those children ‘At Risk’, resulting in more children being removed from the register. •Children’s physical and mental health will be maintained and enhanced. •Key targets on agreed support plans with regard to child rearing and parenting will be reviewed, achieved and further targets developed. •Homeless families will continue to be supported as a unit, as opposed to adults being supported in their own issues but with no attention given to the important parent/child relationship. 3. A detailed budget for the work Project Budget to support front line Children’s Services at our Homeless Families Centre Detailed I&E Statement The children’s services represent 23% of the project’s £387.9k planned income for 2009/10 Children’s services INCOME Charitable income 0 Supporting People Grant (For Children’s Services) 0 Rents Receivable 0 SU's Utilities income 0 Capitalised Lease Premium Interest 0 Capitalised Lease Premium Capital 0 EXPENDITURE Catering 0 Residents participation (incl. interpreters) 474 Art Materials 1,778 2,252 PROPERTY EXPENSES Household & Cleaning 3,475 Lease ( proportion) 15,000 Council Tax 0 Insurance 3,519 Electricity 0 Gas 0 Water 0 Laundry services 0 Current Repairs & Maintenance 1,856 Health and Safety Contracts 1,719 Current Replacements 765 Gardens 180 Major repairs provision 0 Major Replacements provision 0 Total 26,514 PROJECT MANAGEMENT Monthly Staff Costs 49,990 Weekly Staff Costs 0 Training - Staff and SU 1,569 Training Travel 0 Staff Recruitment 0 Telephone 475 Postage, Stationery & Printing 1,050 Vehicle Running & Travel 165 Depreciation 0 Registration fees 0 Legal & Professional 0 Volunteers Expenses 0 Sundries 0 ICT Support 0 Head Office Support 8,763 Local Support Services 0 Service Development Fund 0 TOTAL 62,011 TOTAL EXPENDITURE 90,777 Surplus/(deficit) -90,777 The difference that we can make with your help. Before arriving at Andrew Provan House, B., a mother of 2 was living in dire conditions. Her room was covered with mould and furnished with broken furniture. The presence of antisocial neighbours and the constant noise created much stress and sleep deprivation, leading to the deterioration of her mental health. Upon her arrival at Andrew Provan House, she was very fragile and experienced a breakdown. With Field Lane's support, B. is now recovering. She said: “Decent and secure accommodation has been an essential part of my recovery; I started to have a social life and am able to invite friends to my accommodation, something I had not been able to do in the past.” What others say about Field Lane’s Homeless Families Service at Andrew Provan House, Pembridge Square, Notting Hill, London W2 4ED: ‘I would like to offer my support for this application, I run a programme/project for young parents at Andrew Provan House, we have been using the facilities for nearly a year, the service on offer to my project and the parents is that they receive supported housing and training such as parenting classes, child safety in the home, Baby first Aid, cooking skills, jewellery making, careers guidance, budgeting skills etc. A healthy lunch service and crèche facilities are provided, this enables the parents to have a break for 3 hours, and without a crèche service the parents would be unable to access the project. The children services are particularly supportive and focused on both the children’s and the parent’s development. The facilities at Andrew Provan are excellent; being warm, bright and spacious, all the parents appreciate the facility, we hope Andrew Provan House will continue supporting our project and any help given can only enhance and benefit the wonderful service they providing already’. Janice Sealy, Lead Personal Adviser for Teenage Parents, London Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. “I am so happy that the decision was made to send me to Andrew Provan House; Andrew Provan House has supported me and helped me change my life. I would not have been able to stay clean and sober and have such an easy transition into motherhood without the support of the staff in the project. The playroom has been a lifesaver as it has enabled me to attend meetings which are essential to my recovery. The children’s services manager has also been of great help offering advice on childcare.” VM August 2007 “Being at APH has given my marriage stability; being able to use the playroom helped me with my English and gave me the confidence to go to college. APH has helped me get my confidence back by getting me involved with the catering at social events and slowly I have been able to go back to work 2-3 days a week. I have also been able to stop counselling and feel more in control and independent”. AB AND MB, August 2007. At the time I came for the interview at APH I was on the point of having a complete breakdown, I could barely get through the questions without shaking and stumbling over my words. When my wife and I were shown the flat we were overwhelmed so much that we burst into tears we could not believe that this was for us after all the trauma we had gone through. The support worker came over to us and gave us a hug this was the point when we knew we would be fine. We had never experienced such care and compassion. From that point on I was determined to do as much as I could to overcome my problems and take advantage of all that was on offer. My housing situation was desperate when I was first referred to APH, my landlord had carried out an illegal eviction and I came home to find my belongings on the street. I had a 3 month old baby and was in complete despair. I felt that the council was not taking my situation seriously. The accommodation provided is of good quality and is very spacious. Not having to worry about facing a bad landlord on a daily has also taken way some of my anxiety. My family and I have been fully supported while we have been at APH and this has helped me with my mental health issues and given us both confidence. We are currently bidding and are hoping that something will become available soon as we do not want to have to move to another temporary accommodation. AJ & NJ April 2008 “ Staff encouraged me to register the baby with a GP as soon as possible.” Unit 2 08.09.06 “‘I received help and assistance from staff when I accessed the play room…. Staff were on hand to make me feel welcome and settle the baby. I have taken the baby to the playroom and the enjoyed the experience.” Unit 2 10.05.07 “I have cut out takeaways from her diet after being encouraged by staff to prepare her own meals and by budgeting I have been able to maintain a healthy diet”. Unit 2 09.07.07