Our Practice Framework - Better Together

Our Better Together vision

1. We will keep children within their family network whenever it is safe and appropriate.
2. We will build compassionate relationships and strengthen families.
3. We want every child to be healthy, safe and successful.

What is Better Together?

Our approach is built on Restorative Practice, however it also draws on ideas from:

• Trauma Informed Practice
• Systemic Practice
• Five to thrive

Why do we need a framework?

We do complex work with children and families. Many people in different places, doing different jobs. We need to make sure we all work together.

This framework gives everyone in Tower Hamlets a shared understanding of how we work together. Evidence shows that when we all work the same way, everybody knows what to expect, and it benefits.

Our shared behaviours

We have agreed to work in these five ways:

1. Be open and honest
2. Listen to understand
3. Value people’s experience-work ‘with’ people, instead of doing ‘to’ or ‘for’
4. Work to prevent harm and repair damage to relationships
5. Offer high support and have high expectations

Our C - Change Approach

People and relationships matter. That’s our mantra. Focus on people and everything else will follow.

• Connect
• Stay curious, seek to understand
• Build a community around a child
• Co-produce a plan
• Collaborate for change
• Check back

Want to know more?

Do you work with children and/or their families/carers?

Join our interactive, two hour Introduction to Better Together online training. Please email LearningAcademy@towerhamlets.gov.uk for more details.