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MST Essex Social Impact Bond
19th February 2014
The MST service in Essex is a partnership between Action for Children, Essex County Council and Social Finance UK. Please follow this link to view a short video about the service: https://vimeo.com/77999970
David Derbyshire, director of practice improvement at Action for Children, said: “MST is an internationally-recognised intensive family- and community-based programme which targets multiple causes of serious anti-social and/or criminal behaviour in young people.
“Specially-trained MST therapists support young people and their families for several hours a week in their homes, usually over three to five months.
“Typically, they work with the young person and their family members and other professionals to identify problem behaviours, working in partnership to address issues such as criminal behaviour, drug or alcohol abuse, or aggressive behaviour. They also help families improve their relationships and young people to make the most of educational and vocational opportunities.”
The initiative is funded through a Social Impact Bond; an innovative way of attracting new investment around outcomes-based contracts that benefit individuals and communities.
Through a Social Impact Bond, private investment is used to pay for interventions, which are delivered by service providers with a proven track record.
Financial returns to investors are made by the public sector on the basis of improved social outcomes. If outcomes do not improve, then investors do not recover their investment.
Social Finance has raised a total commitment of £3.1m to fund interventions for 11-16 year olds at the edge of care or custody, helping young people to safely remain at home with their families.
The Essex Social Impact Bond will fund a five-year programme which will provide intensive support to approximately 380 adolescents and their families. The target is to divert around 100 adolescents from entering care by providing support to young people in their home.
The success of the Social Impact Bond will be measured by the reduction in days spent in care by the adolescents, as well as improved school outcomes, wellbeing and reduced reoffending.