A Family Safe-Guarding Model to Protect Vulnerable Children

Child Safeguarding Services intervene in situations where a child is at risk of serious emotional or physical harm. Oxfordshire County Council (OCC) is moving from a system focused primarily on the child, to a new approach which seeks to support and strengthen the whole family, reducing the number of children who need to be taken into care. We are conducting a long-term, mixed methods evaluation of this major social care change.

We have been able to support OCC in developing a culture of evaluation and studying the impact of FSP. Our work is being used to support and justify the continuation of the programme. This project has brought together two organisations, that previously had very little joint working, to a positive partnership which is strengthening social care research. It has also kickstarted other partnerships between the ARC and OCC including internships and support for OCC with research bids.