Ratio Talks

Safe Families for Children was established in the United States by David Anderson. His church turned to the state to help families in the congregation. But the state could not help. Anderson asked his congregation to help by giving resources, offering friendship to hard pressed mums and taking in children for short periods of respite. Keith Danby led the Newcastle-based charity that brought Safe Families to England, growing in the last five years from one or two local authorities in the North East to about 40 across England and Scotland. In this podcast Keith talks about its potential to reduce the flow of children into foster care by 10 per cent a year, and what the work says about the respective roles of civil society and public systems.

Find out more about Safe Families: https://safefamilies.uk

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thisisratio.substack.com

Safe Families for Children, a Newcastle-based charity, is one of the most significant relational innovations in children’s social care in recent years. They have shown the way to better connect public systems with civil society, growing in the last five years from one or two local authorities in the North East to about 40 across England and Scotland. There is evidence from some areas of reducing the flow of children into care of over 10 per cent a year.

As part of a series of conversations across the country, Michael Little from Ratio will be talking to Safe Families Chief Executive, Keith Danby, about Safe Families and what it says about the respective roles of civil society and public systems.

Charlie Howard has a track record for finding, nurturing, funding and scaling ideas put forward by young people. Like Problem Solving Booths. Two chairs set down in a street. A cardboard sign with the word ‘helper’ is set about one chair. The other is adorned with the sign ‘helped’. The set up is an invitation. It gives permission for strangers to sit down and help each other. In this podcast Charlie talks about how organisations get in the way of such innovation.

Find out more about Problem Solving Booths: https://youtu.be/yuOkn-EpC8c

Find out more about Charlie Howard’s work: https://www.drcharliehoward.com

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thisisratio.substack.com