Already more than 300 people have got involved by attending one of a series of consultation meetings or by completing a short online survey, and anyone else who wishes to comment on the proposals is encouraged to do so in the next few weeks by completing the survey.
The City of Wolverhampton Council has put forward a series of proposals designed to improve early intervention, help prevent family breakdown and ultimately reduce the number of children having to be taken into care.
They would see 8 new Strengthening Families Hubs established across the city, with teams operating from them to offer help and advice on a range of issues, including parenting support, family mediation and relationship counselling, child development and play and behaviour management.
The teams will focus on children of all ages, rather than as 2 separate age groups which is currently the case, enabling them to take a "whole family" approach, and there will also be greater emphasis on providing help and support in the family home, rather than solely from the new Hubs and their associated outreach bases around the city.
The proposals seek to build on the good work that is already taking place through the council's transformation programme, which has put greater emphasis on tackling problems within the family unit and offering support at an earlier stage - ultimately meaning that less children have to be removed from their families.
Councillor Val Gibson, the City of Wolverhampton Council's Cabinet Member for Children and Families, said: "It's really important that families and other stakeholders have their say over these proposals because we need existing and potential service users to help us design children's services which are going to help them.
"Their views count, and will help us shape a service which will help transform young people's lives for the better.
"We are committed to doing all we can to ensure that children are able to grow up safely and happily with their families, and we want to build on the excellent work taking place across the city to support children and families in need by making best use of the resources available to us."
People can have their say by completing a short survey available at Type=articles;Articleid=7869;Title=Surveys;. The consultation closes on Friday 5 February, 2016.
For more details, please contact Laura Gilyead on 01902 552339 or by emailing laura.gilyead@wolverhampton.gov.uk.
- released: Thursday 7 January, 2016