Welcome!

Welcome to the information page for the Supporting Families Spend Evaluation Survey. IFF Research are conducting this survey on behalf of the Department for Education (DfE).

By answering this survey, you will help us understand how Supporting Families and wider early help funding is being spent, and how spend is measured, across Local Authorities in England. Findings from this research will help to inform preparations for the government’s spending review.

The survey has 8 sections that will cover questions on Early Help and Supporting Families funding, and how it is spent on staff, training, infrastructure and other services.

In the first seven sections of the survey, we are only interested in the funding that was spent during the 2023/2024 financial year. In the final section of the survey, we will ask you to refer to the current financial year (2024/2025).

This research will be vital in informing future policy decisions in this area, and therefore we would really appreciate your input. You can continue to edit the sections of the survey up until 31st January 2025.

Please note, this survey is separate to the Section 251 data returns.

This information page includes FAQs, instructions on how to navigate the survey, and a glossary.

Find out more about IFF Research

If you have any queries, you can contact the project team on supportingfamiliesspend_info@iffresearch.com.

How to complete the survey

  • You can access the survey at any time through the link in your email invite. You can also take a break from completing the survey at any time and return to the survey.
  • You can share this link with anyone inside your organisation who will be assisting you with completing the survey. Please do not circulate the email invite any further than this. Also, please note that only one person will be able to access the survey link at one time.
  • Once you have started the survey, you can alternate between sections by going through the main menu.

  • A section will be marked as ‘complete’ on the main menu once all questions in that section are complete, and you have clicked through to the end of that section. A section will be marked as ‘in progress’ if not all questions are complete, or you have not clicked through to the end of the section.

  • Once all sections are complete, please select ‘submit’ at the bottom of the main menu.

  • In the first seven sections of the survey, we are only interested in the funding that was spent during the 2023/2024 financial year. In the final section of the survey, we will ask you to refer to the current financial year (2024/2025).

FAQs

Why have I been selected to take part?

This survey is intended for all local authorities. DfE have provided us with your contact information, and we have since been able to invite you to take part in this survey.

What will taking part involve?

The survey should take no more than 30 minutes to complete in total. Please note, you will be able to return to the survey at any time, so you don’t need to complete it in one sitting. The survey link will be able to be shared amongst your colleagues, who might support with the completion of the survey. It will also be possible to pause the survey at any time, and switch between sections of the survey as you complete it.

What is this research project about?

DfE have commissioned research to understand more about how Early Help and Supporting Families funding is spent by local authorities, as well as how spending is measured. This research will be vital in informing future policy decisions in this area.

Who are IFF Research?

This study is being carried out by IFF Research in partnership with and funded by the Department for Education (DfE). For the purpose of data protection legislation, the DfE is the data controller for the personal data processed. IFF Research is the data processor.

Find out more about IFF Research.

How will my data be used?

The survey is hosted and disseminated on behalf of the DfE by IFF Research. They will receive data from your survey responses, which will be analysed to address the study objectives and related research questions.

We will do everything possible to protect confidentiality and ensure anonymity, though there is some possibility that given the specificity of some of the questions, it may be possible to identify the local authority. If that happens, we will only report on a sub-group level, so the information is not identifiable.

IFF Research adheres to the Code of Conduct of the Market Research Society and General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

The data will be held securely and not published, shared, or otherwise disclose information which identifies or makes it possible to identify any individual or local authority participating in the survey.

A report of anonymised population level findings will be published in 2025.

You have the right to ask for a copy of your data at any point. You can also change your data or withdraw your data up until we begin reporting in February 2025.

How is IFF Research's use of my personal data lawful?

In order for our use of your personal data to be lawful, we need to meet one (or more) conditions in the data protection legislation. For the purpose of this project, the relevant conditions are:

  • Article 6(1)(e) GDPR, to perform a public task as part of our function as a department.

Who will you make my personal data available to?

Your personal data will only be used for the purposes of carrying out the online survey. Your personal data will not be passed on to any third parties or used for any other purposes.

How is my data stored?

Research data provided to IFF Research is always stored on a secure server, based in the UK. The data can only be accessed by a limited number of researchers working on this project. IFF holds ISO/IEC 27001 accreditation (the international standard for information security).

IFF Research has procedures to deal with any suspected data security breaches. If a suspected breach occurs, this will be reported to DfE who will notify you and any applicable regulator where we are legally required to do so.

How long do you keep my personal data?

Personal data will only be retained by IFF Research for as long as needed for the purpose(s) of this piece of work, after which point it will be securely destroyed. This will be 6 months following the completion of the research. This is currently scheduled to be September 2025.

 

What are my data protection rights?

Read here for more information on how the DFE handles personal information.

Under the Data Protection Act 2018, you are entitled to ask if we hold information relating to you and ask for a copy, by making a ‘subject access request’.

For further information and how to request your data, please use the contact form in the Personal Information Charter under the ‘How to find out what personal information we hold about you’ section.

If you need to contact us regarding any of the above, please do so via the DfE site.

Further information about your data protection rights appears on the Information Commissioner’s site.

Is the survey disability accessible?

The survey has been designed to be accessible via a range of devices including mobiles and tablets. It has also been designed with accessibility in mind including for participants using assistive technology or a screen reader.

Email us at supportingfamiliesspend_info@iffresearch.com or call us for free on 020 7250 3035 if you need any further assistance.

Where can I go if I have more questions?

If you would like to contact the DfE about this research, you can do so here. Enter ‘Supporting Families Spend Evaluation’ as a reference.

For the Data Protection Officer (DPO) please contact us via gov.uk and mark it for the attention of the ‘DPO’.

If you would like to contact IFF about this research, please email: supportingfamiliesspend_info@iffresearch.com

Glossary

This list breaks down the various categories that we are asking you to provide Early Help / Supporting Families spending data for, from the financial year 2023/24.

We are aware that your local authority may define certain staff roles or other spend categories in a different way to others. These are designed to provide definitions which will ensure all local authorities are consistent.

Supporting Families funding

This relates to any funding provided to your local authority specifically through the Supporting Families programme for the financial year 2023/24.

Early Help funding

This relates to any funding your Local Authority allocates for spending on Early Help services, excluding that which comes from the Supporting Families programme. This includes any grants that are given for specific purposes, such as Reducing Parental Conflict or Family Hubs.

Early Help staff costs

Supporting Families Coordinator

This is someone who is employed or nominated by the local authority to provide operational leadership for the programme across the partnership. Role involves evaluating user experience and feedback, coordinating with other relevant government programmes, and managing data reporting. This could also be known as:

  • Early Help Coordinator
  • Family in Focus Coordinator

Frontline worker

This someone who leads work with individual families to overcome their problems, work with the whole family, agree a single improvement plan and coordinate other services to support the family. Job title could include:

  • Keyworker
  • Family Help / Support Worker
  • Lead Professional
  • Early Help Practitioner

Social worker (specifically for Early Help / Supporting Families work)

This is someone who provides whole family, sometimes intensive, support for families often in their home, being proactive to reach out to families where needed. They are experts in processes to support families with multiple needs and help families, other professionals, commissioned organisations, and voluntary and community groups to understand those needs, advocating where necessary.

Managers and / or supervisors

This is someone in a managerial or supervisory role working within Early Help / Supporting Families. This person would be in a managerial or supervisory role that is separate from a Supporting Families Coordinator, Frontline worker, or Social worker. Job titles could include:

  • District Practice Lead
  • Head of Service
  • Director

Administrative and / or data staff

Administrative: This is someone who is an administrative assistant or support staff member who is responsible for fulfilling, or supporting with, administrative tasks.

Data staff: This is someone working within a data team aligned to the Supporting Families programme to facilitate data development, data sharing and to progress against data maturity milestones.

Other

This would include any other staff members / job roles not included above which were funded by Early Help / Supporting Families Spend.

Service procurement and / or specialist workers

Parenting techniques

This could include programmes such as Triple P, Non-Violent Resistance, Parenting Together, Incredible Years, Parents Plus, Mellow Mums or Parenting Children with ASD/ADHD.

Mental health

This could include specialist mental health advisors, as well as spend on Families Learning About Self Harm, Jigsaw Project (bereavement support), Rapid Access to Psychological Services (RAPT), referrals into Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS).

Domestic abuse

This could include specialist domestic abuse advisors, as well as spend on programmes such as Freedom Project, Free Your Mind, Phoenix Project, Empowerment Programme, Sisters in Strength, and any other DV programmes funded by your local authority.

Substance abuse or alcohol dependency

This could include specialist substance abuse advisors as well as spend on referring to rehabilitation programmes such as SHARPS.

Other

This could include Family Group Decision Making services, which might subsequently include Family Group Conferences (such as Daybreak for Family Group Conferences); youth crime (such as Youth Justice Teams); or any other relevant service procurement or specialist workers.

Infrastructure

Case management systems

This could include licenses and subscriptions for case management platforms, such as LiquidLogic.

Data systems

This could include improving or investing in data systems such as paying for hardware and software, e.g. fees for database managements systems.

Family feedback and experiences

This could include improving and investing in systems for family feedback and experience such as paying for online platforms, surveys etc to capture family voice and experience for service design.

Premises

This could include investing in new premises, utility costs, insurance, etc.; or spend on repair and maintenance of premises including pay of staff involved, e.g. cleaning staff.

Networking and catering

This could include venue rental hire and refreshments.

Services beyond Supporting Families and / or Early Help

Looked-after children

Any form of care that includes looking after children for continuous periods of more than 24 hours, e.g. residential care, fostering services, adoption services, asylum seeker services for children.

Sure Start children’s centres and other spend on children aged under 5

Centres that give help and advice on child and family health, parenting, money, training and employment. Some centres also provide early learning and full day care for pre-school children.

Family Hubs

Set up to join up and enhance services delivered through transformed family hubs in local authority areas

Other children and family services

Counselling services, for example.

Safeguarding children and young people (aged 18-25)

Services that protect children from abuse and maltreatment, e.g. social work, local safeguarding children boards

Family Support Services

Includes direct payments, respite for disabled children, as well as targeted and universal family support.

Services for young people (aged 18-25)

Local authority expenditure on provision of educational and recreational leisure-time activities, including youth work and delivery of their duties to support young people to participate in education or training.

Youth Justice

Services related to young offenders including youth offending teams, e.g. delivery of the September Guarantee, Youth Voice.