Family First have some exciting statistic’s to share from our last two years’ work in Ipswich!
In the year 2021-22, we assisted 65 families seeking support. The results were very encouraging:
– 86% boost in self-esteem for the parents/carers involved.
– A jump into the healthy self-esteem for 63% of these individuals.
– A whopping 93% of families saw better overall mental and emotional wellbeing.
While not all referred families get fully engaged, we still supported many of them through signposting to other relevant services.
Our top reasons for referrals? Parental mental health, children’s behaviour and family relationships. Interestingly, as we worked closely with families, loneliness, low self-esteem, and mental health for both children and parents became prominent issues. The shift in referral reasons in 2022-23 confirms this.
There’s been a surge in children grappling with mental health, especially related to school attendance, both locally and nationally.
So, what’s next for Family First? We’re already connected with many primary-age services, but we’re eager to strengthen our ties with pre-schools, high schools, and other services. Our goal? To cater to all families. To achieve this, we’re focusing on staff development, with recent trainings on building resilience and an upcoming session on goal setting. Plus, we’re boosting our Mental Health First Aid team and seeking other appropriate mental health training.
Please continue to access our website for more updates as we continue our mission to support families in Ipswich!