Member of Welsh Parliament supports MST in North Wales
Niki Favorido, from the Herald Wales, recently reported how Sam Rowlands, Member of the Welsh Parliament for North Wales, is pleased to see Wrexham and Flintshire taking part in a pilot scheme to protect children from abuse and neglect.
The Youth Endowment Fund (YEF) has invested £3.5 million to pilot a therapeutic approach to protect vulnerable children across four local authority areas in Wales and England.
Mr Rowlands said: “I am pleased to see local authorities in Wrexham and Flintshire being selected for this pilot scheme which is aimed at making sure children are safe in their homes.
“Sadly there are many instances of youngsters being neglected and abused, so it is absolutely vital that safeguards are put in place.”
The intensive, home-based therapeutic programme – called Multi-Systemic Therapy for Child Abuse and Neglect (MST-CAN) – works with the whole family to reduce risks to children and support safe and effective parenting.
During the pilot, support will be given to families in Wrexham and Flintshire where children aged 6-17 years are at risk of going into care due to physical abuse and/or neglect.
Trained therapists will work directly with families in their homes to address current safety concerns as well as underlying issues, such as trauma and substance misuse, that may be contributing to harm, using a range of evidence-based approaches.
Children at risk of abuse or neglect often face a complex mix of challenges, and their families may struggle to access the right support. MST-CAN is designed to provide holistic, wrap-around care that helps families navigate these difficulties and build the capacity to care for their children safely.
The programme will take place over 6-9 months and will be delivered by the Multisystemic Therapy UK and Ireland team at South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, in partnership with Leeds City Council, Flintshire Council, Wrexham Borough Council and Sandwell Children’s Trust MST-UKI and evaluated by the University of Kent in collaboration with Teesside University.
This pilot is part of YEF’s wider commitment to building the evidence base around what works to keep children safe from harm and ensure that children can grow up in stable, supportive homes.
Craig Macleod, Chief Officer Social Services from Flintshire County Council said: “Flintshire local authority is proud to be part of this important pilot project, which will research and develop our understanding of how we can work with children and families, so they are supported to make, and sustain, positive change.
“Our involvement shows our strong commitment to helping families through timely and effective support. We are looking forward to working closely with families and learning from the research to guide how we can offer the best possible support.”
The MST-CAN team are working alongside a wide range of services and building important partnerships to best support children and their families. They are already working with a number of families in Sandwell, and we look forward to seeing the results of the study and most importantly the outcomes for our families.”
Please click here to view the source article on Herald Wales