Social workers in the Eastern Health Board offered to set up a residential unit for just one family, a new report reveals.
The proposal was made to keep the family's five children out of care and was part of "a huge Eastern Health Board investment" in the family, according to the report on the EHB's Family Support Service. Like other attempts to help the family, however, it was not taken up.
But daily visits by family support workers have since brought about dramatic improvements in the household. They are expected to remain involved with the family "indefinitely", the report says.
The Family Support Service is made up of part-time workers who are not required to have professional qualifications in child care. One of its aims is to work with families whose children might otherwise have to go into care.
Their non-professional status has been a major factor in making them acceptable to families, the report says.
The family for which the EHB had contemplated setting up a residential unit was referred to the Family Support Service "as a last, desperate attempt to prevent five children from going into care", says the report.
"There were serious concerns about health, hygiene, nutrition, school attendance and general welfare. The father had a history of physical violence and one of the children had made repeated allegations of physical abuse. The mother had an alcohol problem and was sadly lacking in motivation.
"A huge Eastern Health Board investment, including proposals to set up a residential unit especially for the family, had been made in the family with no positive outcomes."
Two family support workers were assigned the task of helping with almost every aspect of family life, "including the state of the house, financial issues, school, clothing and food, to improve parenting skills and to generally monitor the children's welfare.
"Eighteen months later one of the original workers continues to visit the family five days a week. Progress has been made on every front and the perceived risks to the children are very low.
"At the last case review there was no mention of taking the children into care. The entire family, including the father, are very enthusiastic about the family support workers' involvement."
The report is "The Family Support Service - A Profile of Case Families and Family Support Workers."