OVERVIEW

"We need a social recovery in Britain every bit as much as we need an economic one. So while the government's immediate duty is to deal with the budget deficit, my mission in politics – the thing I am really passionate about – is fixing the responsibility deficit, building a stronger society, in which more people understand their obligations, and more take control over their own lives and actions."
Rt Hon David Cameron MP, Prime Minister

The new Social Justice Strategy sets out 'an ambitious new vision for supporting the most disadvantaged individuals and families in the UK', focusing on prevention throughout a person's life, with carefully designed interventions. The importance of family is also heavily emphasised as 'the most important building block in a child's life'. Local leaders across the country are being encouraged to consider what more they can do to embed the principles of the strategy in the way they fund and commission services.

There are some excellent examples of this already happening, for example in some community budget areas, demonstrating how simple approaches to joining up services can dramatically improve outcomes and reduce the demands made on individual services. Tackling Broken Britain: Building a Stronger Society will focus on the role of these services, featuring practical examples of truly integrated working across agencies.

The government has recently allocated £400m of funding for the Troubled Families Programme (TFP) – an intensive scheme to address the needs of the 120,000 most challenged families. Focusing on early intervention and prevention, and working with charities and private sector organisations, this programme will fund local authority teams to identify and support families with multiple problems. The Communities and Victims Panel's 'After the Riots' report suggests that public services engaging with these families should follow some key principles, including early intervention, evidence-based support, and a whole family view.

The After the Riots report concludes that everyone must be given a stake in society, and that we must have communities where individuals respect each other and the place they live in, where public services work together – and with the voluntary sector – to spot those who are struggling at an early stage and help them. Public services must work together and accept accountability for turning around the lives of individuals, families and communities. Locally designed and delivered solutions are critical: individuals and organisations working at the grassroots are best placed to make decisions about how improvements can be made to the way services are delivered in their area.

Business also has a role to play. Businesses undertaking corporate social responsibility (CSR) activity, which supports the local neighbourhoods within which they operate and focuses on using the company brand to engage and work with young people, can make a significant difference. The government is supporting the growth of a social investment market that enables investors to achieve both social and financial returns. The recently launched Big Society Capital scheme, for example, aims to support grassroots social projects, helping local groups take control of their post office and providing capital for charities and voluntary groups bidding for government contracts.

Tackling Broken Britain: Building a Stronger Society will get to grips with the fundamental issues of our society, establishing how to build strong, socially and economically resilient communities. Covering areas such as youth services, education, welfare, health and social care, and criminal justice, and examining potential solutions such as community budgets and early intervention initiatives, this timely and high-profile seminar is a must-attend event for professionals from across the public sector and beyond.