Redbridge Council is intensifying its efforts to combat child poverty through enhanced benefit advice and a reformed approach to family support. The Families First Pathfinder programme, now in its second year, aims to streamline services for vulnerable families and has already seen significant success in reducing statutory assessments and repeat child protection enquiries.
The Families First reform, described as one of the most significant changes to social care since the Children Act 1989, integrates targeted early help and statutory child-in-need services into a single, seamless pathway. This new model ensures families navigate services more easily, avoid repeatedly recounting their circumstances, and receive consistent support from practitioners.
Key to the reform is a single Family Help front door, supported by five integrated Family Help teams and a single lead practitioner who remains with the family throughout their engagement. For child protection concerns, a centralised Multi-Agency Child Protection Team (MACPAT) provides specialist oversight and shared decision-making.
Early intervention has become more practical and immediate. In the 2025-26 period, 7,765 contacts were signposted or diverted from Family Help teams. Crucially, 227 parents received benefits and debt advice, with welfare benefit debt advisors employed to assist families at the front door. While the specific financial impact on individual households is not detailed, the broader context highlights an estimated £28 million in unclaimed benefits, underscoring the potential impact of addressing poverty and maximizing family income.
Beyond the reported statistics, the success of the Families First programme is being measured through emerging evidence indicating the system is becoming more proportionate. This is demonstrated by a 9% increase in contacts alongside a 29% reduction in statutory assessments and a 47.8% decrease in repeat Section 47 enquiries. The number of cases experiencing multiple moves and pathway changes has also significantly reduced, with four fewer children entering care out-of-hours.
Councillor Martin Sachs raised concerns about funding, but Sharon Springer, Assistant Director for Children's Social Care, clarified that grant funding enabled the testing of new approaches without impacting the council's core budget for statutory functions. She explained that if grant funding were removed, the council could still deliver all statutory functions, as core budget has been maintained for these posts. The plan is to evidence the programme's success through data to encourage partners to move posts and maintain business as usual. Financial savings of £324,000 were identified in 2025/26, with further amounts budgeted for 2026/27.
Redbridge Council is actively engaging with community organizations and schools to raise awareness about the Families First programme. Family Help Partnership Coordinators work closely with schools, attending DSL forums and headteacher meetings, as schools are a key route for identifying emerging needs. The enhanced front door makes it easier for schools to direct referrals. The council's team also participated in community action days, speaking directly with residents on their streets. Future strategies include the development of Family Hubs
to provide a gateway into universal plus support for emerging need.
Specialisms are now concentrated within specific teams, such as the contextual safeguarding team, fostering a collaborative environment described as a salad bowl
where different professionals work together.
The next phase of the Families First programme involves embedding the practice model, completing the enabling infrastructure, and maintaining transparent member oversight. The council is also working to improve its website and the Find
platform to enhance self-service and accessibility for all residents, including those with English as an additional language. Further details on the programme can be found in the Public reports pack for the Children and Young People Committee meeting on 10th September 2026 Public reports pack 10th Sep 2026.