August 2025 - newsletter - Families First Partnership programme
The Families First Partnership Programme (FFPP) is a big government project in England to improve support for children and families.
It builds on previous work and aims to make help and protection easier to access. It has been designed to build upon local strengths and has the flexibility to deliver transformation that reflects local priorities.
The outstanding programme brings together different agencies to work as a team, creates special Family Help services, sets up expert-led child protection teams, and gives families practical and financial support to help them make decisions together. The programme aims to deliver:
- Better outcomes through earlier, more effective multi-agency support
- Faster, coordinated responses to emerging needs
- More family-led decision making, co-creating solutions with professionals
- Reduced pressure on child protection teams through early intervention
- Less stigma around accessing support, encouraging families to seek help when needed
Where are we on the journey
The Families First Programme Board has been established, bringing together partners to oversee the development of the FFPP
This group has been meeting since April 2025. To support the Programme Board six operational groups have been established to deliver the programme plan. The Stoke-on-Trent Children Safeguarding Partnership provides the overarching governance.
We have introduced the programme to our children’s social care workforce and have started mapping out the services we deliver to better understand the opportunities for improving outcomes for children and families, and the strengths and compliance of our current service model.
Read more about the families first partnership in the Families first partnership briefing note.