WREXHAM has been chosen as one of the first areas in Wales where ‘A-teams’ of specialists will move in to work with families hit by major problems such as drugs misuse and violence.

A new scheme from the Welsh Assembly Government, Integrated Family Support Services, (IFSS) aims to improve the skills of health and social care professionals who work on the front line helping problem families to change.

Announced as part of the government’s war on child poverty, the programme recognises these families often face multiple disadvantages and require highly specialist and intensive support.

Team members will spend more time working directly with families to create positive change.

They will also work with other services and agencies to support parents. Initial referrals will be for families where the parent’s main problem is alcohol or drug misuse.

Families affected by parental mental illness, parental learning disability and domestic violence will later be phased into the programme.

Along with Merthyr Tydfil and Rhondda Cynon Taff as a consortium and Newport, Wrexham is to be one of the first areas where the scheme will operate.

Wrexham AM Lesley Griffiths has welcomed the announcement and said: “This new approach demonstrates the commitment that the Welsh Assembly
Government has both to tackle child poverty and help facilitate change in families with problems, but also shows our policymaking to be right on the cutting edge.

“I am delighted Wrexham has been chosen to be covered by IFSS. I work closely with a number of organisations in Wrexham who will be welcoming this initiative.”