The Building My Future programme
(BMF) is an early intervention model, originally funded by the DfE’s children’s social care innovation unit, in the London Borough of Ealing. Co-produced with carers and young people, the programme provides intensive, holistic, tailored support to young people aged 10-25 with complex additional needs, who are at risk of educational or social exclusion. By intervening early with this group, the intention was to facilitate better educational, wellbeing and participation outcomes, and reduce the need for special school provision and costs to the council. It came in the context of key council pressures including a high number of exclusions among SEN students. The model has a multi-disciplinary element, involving professionals from health, social care, education and youth work, who work together to explore the specific challenges each young person may have which may be a barrier to them reaching their academic potential. Young people are supported over a 6-month period in multiple ways - for example, where there are mental health needs identified, the psychology team can offer CBT interventions, and there is also a focus on developing key life and social skills. The project worked with over 150 children and young people between 2018 and 2021.
The programme was evaluated in 2020. The multi-disciplinary, coordinated approach was praised, with suggestions that the programme helped to improve young people’s personal wellbeing, participation in mainstream education and preparedness for adult life. It also helped parents and carers to improve their relationships with their child and school/college, as well as preparing schools and colleges to better support children with additional needs. The quantitative data showed less obvious improvements, but there was a suggestion that it would contribute to long-term cost avoidance. The evaluation highlighted some key challenges to the programme’s sustainability, related to funding, demand, workforce and complexity of need. The programme is no longer operating but with the model winning a CYPN award, there are clearly key lessons to be taken on the value of adopting a multi agency approach to improving key outcomes for this cohort of young people.
There is a helpful BMF learning library accessible here: https://www.egfl.org.
uk/services-children/building-myfuture-bmf-programme/building-myfuture-bmf-learning-library