Three Schools- Safeguarding- Family Safeguarding Model in Liverpool and the integration with anti-poverty interventions provided locally

This project will evaluate the impact of the Family Safeguarding Model (FSM), set to be implemented in Liverpool in April 2025, on health and social care outcomes—particularly its effectiveness in preventing children from entering care and improving child health. FSM is an early intervention approach designed to keep children safely with their families by addressing underlying issues such as mental health, domestic violence, and substance misuse through a multi-disciplinary team and a structured eight-module programme. The project will also assess whether the FSM’s impact is enhanced when combined with anti-poverty interventions already being evaluated in Liverpool, such as employment support and housing schemes. Despite promising results in other regions, there is limited evidence proving FSM alone improves outcomes, and criticisms suggest it may not adequately address poverty, a key factor in child protection risks. Using linked health and social care data from 2.6 million people in Cheshire and Merseyside, researchers will conduct a controlled analysis to assess outcomes. They will also gather perspectives from families and practitioners, focusing on children’s views. The study aims to determine whether integrating anti-poverty support with FSM improves effectiveness and to identify the best strategies for combining these services to better support vulnerable families.