The Families First Partnership (FFP) focuses on earlier help, clearer pathways and stronger joined‑up working, while ensuring children are kept safe and families are involved in decisions that affect them.
A key benefit of the programme, as pilots begin to launch across Derbyshire this year, is the additional support it provides to social workers. Through approaches such as Family Group Decision Making (FGDM), independent coordinators work directly with families and their networks on safety planning, removing some day‑to‑day responsibilities from social workers. This enables practitioners to focus more closely on their core safeguarding role, including assessment, analysis and risk management.