Wandsworth L.I.N.K.S

Three projects under one roof:

• groupwork
• family group conferences
• lifelong links

With the aim of improving outcomes for children, young people, parents and carers through direct work.

Family Group Conferences (FGCs)

Family Group Conferences are shared decision-making family meetings.

They are family led, with family members, their network, and professionals attending a meeting, facilitated by an independent FGC coordinator. The aim is for families to discuss problems and find their

own solutions, and with support to draw up a safe and realistic plan to ensure children remain safely in their parents’ care.

During COVID FGCs have been delivered virtually, at times suitable for the families including evenings and weekends.  

Groupwork

Delivering parenting and domestic abuse groups for parents, carers and children in Wandsworth.

Coordinated and run by a dedicated team in partnership with colleagues and agencies.

• Skies of Hope (previously known as HALT):  A 12-week group for mothers affected by domestic abuse.
• Strengthening Families, Strengthening Communities (SFSC): A 13-week evidence-based parenting group for all parents/carers. 
• Caring Dads: A 17-week child-centred fathering group for men who have abused, neglected, or exposed their children to domestic abuse. Scheduled for late 2026 depending on the number of referrals received.
• Dad’s Place: A 12-week group for Dads who would like to meet other Dads, share experiences and gain support in managing the challenges of parenting.
• Children’s HALT: A 6-week (1.5 hour) wellbeing group for children in a school setting.
• Mothers Like Me (MLM): A weekly drop-in group on Fridays for mothers who have at least one child in care.
• Bird by Bird: A 10-week group for parents/carers who have lived experience of the impact of addiction, mental health and/or domestic abuse.
• The timetable for groups is drawn up each term and our offer is dependent on the number of referrals received from Professionals. Parents/carers and/or children must be residents of Wandsworth. Self-referrals are not accepted.
• Evening groups are sometimes held depending on the demand. 

Lifelong Links

Lifelong Links is a service that increases and builds positive, lifelong support networks for children in the care system and for care leavers.

An independent Lifelong Links Coordinator works with a child/young adult to find out who is important to them and who they would like to be in touch with. The Coordinator searches for these people, using a variety of tools and techniques. They bring a network together at a Lifelong Links family group conference to make a plan with and for the child, which the local authority supports to ensure these relationships continue to grow.

Inspired by Alfie, a young person in Wandsworth’s CLICK, our Lifelong Links service is also known as ‘Alfie’s Project’.

Quote from Alfie

“Everybody in care and care leavers should do Lifelong Links…. If you do it, you won’t regret it.”

How to contact us/make a referral

For all enquires, questions and referrals or to speak to a member of the team please don’t hesitate to contact us via the team mailbox: 
[javascript protected email address]          

Groupwork: enquire about groups running, request a referral form. We will send you group information and on receipt of a completed referral form we will contact you.

Lifelong Links: enquire about the service, request a referral form and on receipt of a completed form staff will contact you to set up a case discussion and plan next steps.

Family Group Conferences: Wandsworth staff can refer via the link on the child/young person’s record on MOSAIC. L.I.N.K.S staff will contact you once the Family Group Conference referral form is received.

Quotes

A mother who attended HALT domestic abuse group:

“I feel stronger by attending group, sometimes it is hard to talk about what I am going through but I feel better, it’s a relief when I talk about it.”

A family who attended an FGC:

“At first, we were quite nervous but now it’s been very beneficial because it is good that the family network opinion and support is being shared with a wider audience and it’s very beneficial for us to know the social worker’s thoughts going forward. We all found it beneficial, and useful”

A young person who attended Lifelong Links:

“Sometimes old memories from your past get a little blurry, Lifelong Links has given me a chance to reconnect, remember, learn and chat about previous situations whilst living in care. This has given me a better insight to how and why some decisions were made and share with my workers the effects of these decisions had on me as a young person.”