Innovative Burton family support group is recognised for the work it does in supporting vulnerable East Staffordshire families.
East Staffordshire Family Support Service, which runs Harvey Girls and Dads 4 Dads, has been singled out for the Trent and Dove Housing Impact on the Community Support Organisation Award.
The group – specialising in supporting whole families – helps to empower vulnerable families in East Staffordshire, enabling them to reach their potential while improving their health, wellbeing and safety. The organisation champions a strengths based approach, working with the whole family to build skills and resilience, improving outcomes for children and their families.
It is the third year the organisation has been recognised for its pivotal role in the community locally.
Receiving the award from sporting legend Kriss Akabusi MBE, Ian North, Chief Executive of East Staffordshire Family Support, said it was only due to the hard work of all the staff at the much-needed charity that support could continue to be available for East Staffordshire’s most vulnerable families.
He said: “This award recognises all the work of every support worker, board member and volunteer who work tirelessly to support families across East Staffordshire.
“Without the hard-work of the whole team we wouldn’t be able to support families at difficult times to find their feet and continue to care and provide for their children. Being a parent isn’t easy and for vulnerable parents often the simplest of support can make a real difference.”
The organisation supports 105 parents and 140 children in sessions each year together with 540 families through their outreach provision providing thousands of home visits each year.
Through their specialisms of Harvey Girls and Dads4Dads, East Staffordshire Family Support Service facilitate a range of activities for parents and their children in weekly group sessions, running alongside the ‘one to one’ support offered by Family Support Workers within the family home.
These sessions provide a varied and diverse programme of topics targeted at developing parents’ key skills and confidence. Activities include: parenting skills, physical health, safety – both inside and outside the home, education and learning, well-being, home and money. The aim is to provide a support network for parents in order to help improve physical, social, emotional and economic outcomes for the parents and their children who attend.
The Trent and Dove Housing Impact on the Community Awards has been run for the past 13 years and recognises businesses, individuals and groups in the community who go above and beyond to support their community.