The pressures on English local authorities are growing, year on year. Significant budgetary pressures, complex needs of children and families, sufficiency challenges and the personal pressures on staff to navigate this are some of the contributory factors we are currently seeing in the social care sector. More effective commissioning of edge of care and family support services form part of the solution to the current challenges facing the system.
What can an edge of care service offer?
The primary objective of an edge of care service is to prevent family breakdown, either short, medium or long term, and can be commissioned at any point in the child and family’s lives. Dependant on when the edge of care service is brought in to support the family, it may be the safest option for the child at that point to become a looked-after child. However, with the right ongoing support for the family, there are opportunities to rebuild the family unit and for the child to return to their family. This presents opportunities for commissioners to consider edge of care services as an integral part of the planning process for long term success.
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