Family support services in Staffs will be recommissioned

A service that delivers early support to families across Staffordshire will continue.

Since 2010, Staffordshire County Council has commissioned family support services, which provides early help for families within the voluntary sector.  

Crucially, this service helps children and their families tackle root causes of problems within families, making them less likely to need additional specialist support in the future. This reduces the pressure on higher-tier county council services. 

With the existing contract for family support set to expire on 31 March 2025, the county council’s cabinet considered different options for recommissioning the service in a meeting earlier today (16 October). 

It has been agreed that the service will go through a competitive tender process, with the new service starting on 1 April 2025. 

Mark Sutton, Staffordshire County Council’s cabinet member for children and young people, said: “The recommissioning of this service will ensure that we continue to provide high quality support for children and families across Staffordshire when they need it most. 

“Over the past 14 years, this service has proven to be invaluable supporting more than 7,800 families from 2018 to 2024 alone. By addressing the root causes of challenges within families early on, we can prevent issues from escalating. 

“This is not only crucial for the wellbeing of communities, but it also alleviates the pressures on our specialist services, allowing us to focus resources where they are needed most. Our ongoing commitment to provide early family support will ensure that children in Staffordshire grow up in safe and supportive environments, giving them the best possible start in life.”