Blackpool's families, children and young people are at the heart of everything we do. Our 'Blackpool Families Rock' model of practice has been co-produced with children, young people, families and foster carers who have experienced our services.
The co-production group developed a set of practice principles, using a social pedagogy methodology; Head, Heart and Hands. The practice principals describe how our families and communities want Blackpool's partnership agencies to 'work with them,' in terms of our core beliefs (head), the values we hold (heart) and the way we practice and behave (hands).
Heart | how we behave
We are inclusive
We build trusted relationships
We are respectful
We are kind
We encourage our families to be brave with us
We are positive
We are realistic
We are honest
Hand | how we work
We work restoratively and balance our families' strengths with what we are worried about
We help families to develop tailored solutions
We work with children and families, we do not do things to them
We encourage our children and families to be aspirational
Head | how we think
We work with families to assess and understand, analyse impact and outcomes and are objective
We do not judge
We work collaboratively with others, sharing information in the right way, at the right time to ensure the best outcome for families
We empathise and recognise the impact of trauma
We believe in families
Our approach when we work with children and families is:
Creating trusting and honest relationships with families...
which provide opportunities for them to change. Supporting families to understand our concerns for their children. Be respectfully clear with families regarding the impact of concerns on their child's daily life and their outcomes if changes in their life do not happen. Work in partnership with families to develop a plan for their family, which has their children as a central focus
To improve and repair relationships within families and communities.
The purpose is to build healthy families and communities, increase social capital, reduce crime and anti-social behaviour, and repair harm.
Working as a ‘Systemic solution focused family’ at 3 levels;
Support families to develop a wider eco support system, which enables them to make the changes they need to thrive and succeed
Partnership staff across Blackpool work as a solution focused system, a ‘jigsaw of support’ which fits together & nurtures family led sustainable change
Strategic leaders across Blackpool operate as a Strategic Solution Focused Family, creating an environment which enables their workforce to implement ‘Blackpool Families Rock’ practice guidance principles, which supports families and communities to be resilient and achieve positive sustainable change
It is a way of viewing adults and children as resourceful and resilient in the face of their worries. Support family led Plans, which focus on children’s aspirations and outcomes, whilst balancing this approach with a good understanding of the worries we share about the children’s daily lived experience.