Sunderland to get £450,000 Government cash to help vulnerable children and families

The city has received £453,029 from the Government to improve data sharing between local services, improving the understanding of families’ needs and help identify those who need early support to prevent problems escalating.

The investment will see Sunderland City Council, local NHS services and schools will work together to share information, so children and young people with special education needs receive joined-up support.

Sunderland is one of ten areas in the country to share in the Government’s £7.9m Data Accelerator Fund.

Eddie Hughes MP, Minister for Rough Sleeping and Housing, said: “By local services sharing data, expertise and knowledge we can build a more complete picture of what is going on in a family’s life and use this to put in place tailored, wraparound support at an early stage.

“This fund will give local areas the tools to identify and support vulnerable children and families as early as possible and help them to live more positive, fulfilling lives.”

The Government says the announcement builds on previous work as part of the it’s Supporting Families programme where data sharing was used to identify children at risk of exploitation.

By sharing information across schools, health, housing, police and social care, frontline workers can get a full picture of an individual family’s needs and the often interconnected challenges they face, such as mental health issues, employment, and substance misuse.