Exploring geographical and organisational understandings of risk when supporting ‘at risk’ families

Within a context of increasing demand and decreasing resources, it is vital that agencies work together in partnership within local authorities and across district boundaries to maximise positive outcomes for families identified as being ‘at risk’. Prevention and Demand strategies highlight the importance of consistent and safe early help orientated towards the ‘child first’ within a family-based approach. This study explored the benefits of aligning the following case management meetings: the Early Help Forum (EHF), the Anti-Social Behaviour Forum (ASBF), the Domestic Abuse Forum (DAF) and the Multi-Agency Risk Assessment Conference (MARAC). The project aimed to understand the impact of this integrated way of working and build on any benefits. A mixed-methods research design was undertaken to identify facilitators and barriers to enhanced integrated practices. The following methods were used: interviews; textual analysis of committee/forum minutes; an online survey and two case pathway analysis workshops. Provision within districts was identified as being ‘in flux’, creating destabilised environment in which individuals and families receive disparate support and outcomes based on geography and timing. A range of challenges were identified in the analysis which prevented desired outcomes, including: information sharing; attendance at case management meetings and differing levels of risk averseness. Few cases were referred between different committees within the aligned case management model suggesting that horizontal integration was achieved within each of the respective meetings but vertical integration (i.e. integration between different levels of risk) required further attention.