Abstract

Parental mental health problems and substance misuse affect a significant number of families. This handbook provides practitioners with early intervention techniques and effective support strategies for ensuring the best outcomes for these vulnerable families.

Featuring pointers, models and practice examples, A Practical Guide to Early Intervention and Family Support considers the concept of resilience and effective family support. Assessing the policy context and possible barriers to support, it looks at assessment of need, safeguarding children, minimising negative impact, and most importantly, keeping families together where possible. Drawing on key research on the risks and impacts, this book demonstrates the need for a unified approach from a range of adult and children's services. This third edition has been fully updated to reflect developments in policy and services.

Essential reading for all professionals who are involved in providing services to families, it will also be of interest to service commissioners and those with an academic interest in what helps to support children and families in these circumstances.

This thoughtful, well-researched and practical book makes a robust contribution to the literature in this complex area of practice. The range of approaches and interventions discussed - illustrated by practice examples from a range of sources - will assist a wide range of professionals to work more effectively together to assess and support families affected by parental mental health and substance misuse, while ensuring that children's voices are heard and their needs never get lost.
Dr. Brynna Kroll, Co-author of Parental Substance Misuse & Child Welfare, Independent Trainer & Consultant and Parenting Assessor with Somerset’s Family Assessment & Support Team

Emma Sawyer has worked as a social worker, manager and trainer, she has extensive experience of working with children and families with complex and challenging needs. Whilst working for National Children's Bureau, Emma published several resources on how services can best work together to support parenting more effectively.

Sheryl Burton is Programme Director of National Children's Bureau's Health and Social Care programme. Prior to joining NCB, Sheryl worked as a social work practitioner and team leader, specialising in work with children and families on the threshold of care. Sheryl has extensive experience of working with frontline practitioners and services to develop practice to support children and families more effectively and has written a number of publications for NCB.

This handbook has been designed to meet the needs of practitioners across a wide range of agencies, including of course local authorities, and it should help those working in these complex circumstances to translate the concept of resilience into practice reality. It provides models, frameworks and crucially real examples in order to assist professionals in their task of helping families with complex needs to better meet their children's needs.
From the Foreword by Allison O'Sullivan, President of the Association of Directors of Children’s Services and Director of Children’s Services in Kirklees