by ECINS Founder and CEO, Gary Pettengell

ECINS has a very different way of supporting the Troubled Families Agenda. It is  much more than just a bespoke Troubled Families software programme developed specifically for Troubled Families Co-ordinators. Instead it is a complete neighbourhood management solution that enables organisations to fully support their local troubled families initiative and any number of additional functions, saving everyone a considerable amount of time and money.

For example, Suffolk originally commissioned ECINS just for their Anti-Social Behaviour programme. They are now managing their troubled families countywide via the ECINS platform.

Because Suffolk bought the system to manage ASB across county they are able to use it to manage any other areas of business at no extra cost. That means that the usefulness and lifespan of ECINS goes well beyond the lifespan of the Troubled Families Programme which ends in 2015 and its use continues to grow with changing times and needs.

There are no limits to the amount of information that can be uploaded to the system, no limits to the number of users who can access it, there are no user licence fees at all. Quite literally its potential to an organisation sees no bounds and the time and efficiency savings are huge.”

Whilst ECINS is a complete neighbourhood management tool, rather than a bespoke solution to one problem, the system incorporates a variety of tools such as the Family Assessment which enables practitioners to tailor the system to suit specific issues.

A major advantage Suffolk has found in using ECINS is that the data uploaded by an organisation can be fully utilised across departments and partner agencies.

Effectively this means that because they were already using ECINS for other issues the task of identifying troubled families within their districts was made so much easier. Many of the individuals were already known to key workers and, as such, had an existing profile on ECINS. Where interventions had already been put in place with some of the individuals they were able to share that information fully with external partners and agencies. Information, such as support  individuals were already receiving, was already accessible on ECINS for everyone (with access permission) to see.