Parents

Overview of what we do

  • Intensive work with you (up to six days a week dependent on need) within a therapeutic approach which is trauma informed
  • Collaborative approach – working with your child’s social worker and partner agencies, the team around the child
  • When you need immediate support, we can provide a timely response
  • On the first visit we discuss with you the areas you want support with, and your view of what needs to change
  • Regularly reviewing your progress and updating your family's plan
  • Intervention with you is consent led
  • We end our involvement at the right time for the child and you

What to expect when working with Stepping Stones

Your child’s social worker will discuss with you your needs as a family and whether you're happy to work with Stepping Stones. Your child’s social worker will also have a chat with us to see if we're the right service at the right time for your family. If so, you'll then be assigned a Stepping Stones outreach worker who will make telephone contact to arrange an initial visit.

Initial visit

  1. Introductions.

  2. Stepping Stones worker explains our ways of working.

  3. General conversation about the work we do, focusing on making second order change and explaining how we work therapeutically. Conversations will possibly be around family history, lived experience and trauma.

  4. Agree how, when and where visits will take place, and explain that we're consent led, and therefore families must want to engage in the support.

  5. Arrange a second visit to suit the family.

Second visit

  1. Soft measures to be completed individually with family members. These are used to help identify the support needed and any possible agencies we may need to approach. 

  2. Discussion about how Stepping Stones can support your family going forward.

  3. Arrange the next visit.

Frequently asked questions

How many visits a week will there be?

Frequency of visits are based on an individual's needs. We provide intense support, so this could range from 2-5 visits a week depending on individual needs.

How long will the support last for?

Support is flexible and based on an individual’s needs. We're consent led, so we support families until it's deemed that positive changes have been made.

Do you work with just children or adults too?

We work with the whole family, therefore support is focused on both children and their parents/carers.

How and where will the support take place?

Your outreach worker tends to support within the family home, however in some cases, if agreed, children will be visited in schools. Support can also take place in the community if you request it, in our specially designed children and parent pods at Havenbrook near Shrwsbury, or over the phone (your outreach worker will provide you with their work mobile number). Your outreach worker will also be involved in your meetings, such as child in need/child protection/child looked after meetings.

Will my outreach worker work alongside our child’s social worker?

Yes, the outreach worker will be in regular contact with your social worker to best support your family.