The Welsh Assembly Government is seeking powers to change the law on how vulnerable children are supported. As part of this move, it is consulting on a plan to develop integrated family support services (IFSS). These will be multi-agency teams charged with helping families where children are at risk of developing long-term problems or being taken into local authority care.
The services will focus on families where parental mental illness, substance misuse, domestic violence or learning disabilities are a problem. The assembly government wants IFSS to bring together NHS, local authority and voluntary sector services to offer joined-up support to families. The services will also have links to local partnerships such as local criminal justice boards and children and young people's partnerships.
The consultation is asking for views on the proposed focus for the IFSS, to whom the services should be accountable to, whether the NHS should be required to be part of the service and whether other agencies should be involved.
Closing date 3 October
www.cypnow.co.uk/resources/policy.
