Brighter Futures calls for increased government support for early intervention
A local charity which supports children, families, and parents has called for increased government support to support early intervention measures for young people.
Brighter Futures Jersey held a conference this week at The Royal Yacht hotel, giving speakers a platform to highlight the importance of early intervention, alongside shared personal experiences.
Speakers included its Patron Lady Kyd; Will Quince, CEO of the 1,001 Critical Days Foundation; Tara Gretton, a solution-focused practitioner; Christian Guy; police chief Robin Smith; and Kevin Keen OBE, a business and charity leader.
Speeches covered topics including the first 1,001 critical days of a child’s life to show that early intervention is a proven way to support young people and families to prevent crisis, also the importance of ” small, manageable changes in improving family wellbeing”.
CEO of Brighter Futures, Fiona Brennan, also used this conference to seek additional financial support from the Government of Jersey – the charity has costs of more than £1 million each year, only 8.7% of this is government funded.
Around 150 to 160 families receive support from the charity each week. This includes one-to-one support, alongside courses and programmes to ensure the child’s carer is their primary carer and educator.
Ms Brennan said: “Early intervention is not only effective for families but also represents a long-term investment in our community.
“With sustainable funding, we can plan ahead, reach more families and make a greater impact.”
