CB4ward: What next? Reflecting and learning
Almost two years on from the development of the CB4ward framework, Juliet and the project group are sharing their reflections on what we are learning together with the families who have joined this work.
I have been honoured to act as the project’s coordinator; here I share my own main reflections:
Empowering someone means letting go of your own power. The structures that helped me feel safe -expertise, assessments, checklists, pathways, safety plans -were more about us (the system) than the family. Once we let go of those, the family started to take responsibility for their own journey. We’ve begun referring to the primary role of CB4ward as a broker -facilitating, not leading.
It took time. You can’t expect someone who has been let down by services for years to simply trust you. Overwhelmed, exhausted, and traumatised people need time to think. We promised longevity -as long as CB4ward exists, there is a place for the family in it. Now, the family is open to actively supporting others, and through this, we hope to learn more about how to help them build community.
A strengths-based approach isn’t just “nice to have” -it’s the way out. Even in crisis, focusing on strengths is the most effective approach. The family de-escalated from crisis themselves -because they were given the power (and responsibility) to find their own way forward, with us as scaffolding.
Transparency is key. From the outset, we committed to full transparency. All notes were shared, every conversation was reported back, and the family was always invited to be involved. They were present for form-filling, referral calls, and planning. This helped build trust and gave them insight into how the system works -and how to navigate it.
Relentlessly reminding the family of their strengths made a difference. Small, incremental shifts in self-belief accumulated over time.
The real work lies in letting go, in listening, and in creating space for people to find their own way forward. And perhaps, in doing so, we can move from repeatedly catching people when they fall -to helping them stand on more solid ground, and perhaps even take flight.
So what now?
CB4ward welcomed family two in December. We are learning again, not quite from scratch, but actively informed by family one. Families three and four will follow, every time providing useful insight into the project’s collective wisdom.
Read more about Hilary’s Cottam’s influence on Fullscope’s work through An Invitation to Think.
Find out more about partner organisations Red Hen Project, Blue Smile, CPSL Mind, Cambridge Acorn Project.
Find out more about Juliet’s work at Taproot.
Juliet Snell is Associate Consultant at Fullscope and founder of Cambridge based consultancy, taproot.