Introducing the new Family Stars

Information about the new and improved editions for Family Star and Family Star Plus

If you are already using either of the Family Stars in your service, here you can find all the information you need to know about the new editions.

The new editions replaced the old editions on Outcomes Star Online in May 2023.

For support with any aspect of the update or anything else relating to the Outcomes Star, please contact us.

NEW Family Star

Full preview downloads:

NEW Family Star Plus

Full preview downloads:

Why are the Family Stars being updated?

Triangle is committed to ensuring that the Outcomes Stars stay relevant and continue to support best practice.  

With the Family Stars developed in 2010 and 2013, much has changed since then for families and the services that support them. Triangle’s own practice and approach, for example to trauma-informed language, has also moved on.

So in 2021 we started a process of consultation to hear feedback about the Family Stars from the families, practitioners and funders who use the tools, and then developed the new editions to:

  • be more client-focused, friendly, accessible and trauma-informed
  • expand the resources to include easy-read flashcards
  • reference external factors such as the cost of living
  • map to the Supporting Families Initiative 2022-25

You can read more about the development process in our Development Summary.

The new editions are a significant improvement and have been very well received. The changes support acceptability, implementation, and good practice.

What has changed in the new editions?

In summary:

    • The top of the Journey of Change is now ‘Managing well’
    • 8 is more clearly the end point for families with extra needs
    • The Star area names are more client-centred e.g. How I feel, My children’s learning and Our family routine
    • Wording changes avoid any suggestion of blame or triggers for people, while keeping the essential clarity needed between stages.

    What do the changes mean for me?

    The new editions replaced the previous ones on the Star Online. This means that:

    • data gathered from the different editions of the same Star version will be combined in the dashboard reports. You will notice that the reports update to use the new Outcome Area names
    • completed Star PDFs for Stars submitted before the new edition is added, will remain based on the previous edition
    • new Stars started, In progress Stars, Action Plans and the Service User Summary will update to the new edition.

      The outcomes data gathered using the old and new editions is broadly comparable, meaning that we do not expect readings to be affected.

      The new editions were added to the Star Online, May 22nd 2023. Please ensure that you log onto the Star Online and download the new User Guides and Star Charts to replace the existing resources that you may have saved internally or are using in your own system.

      To brief practitioners on what to expect in the new edition you can:

      • share the link to this page
      • download a briefing PDF here
      • download ‘preview’ copies of the new edition resources – download the updated User Guide and download the new Flashcards using the links above.

      Training in the new editions has been available since April 2023. There is no obligation for those who are already trained to have refresher training, however this would be an ideal moment to do this.

      For Licensed Star Trainers, training resources for the new editions has been available from Outcomes Star Online since May 22nd 2023.

      It might be useful to explain that:

      • the updates are in response to feedback from parents, guardians and carers
      • the language has been made clearer and more engaging but the Star still works in the same way.

      When are the new editions available?

      You can download preview copies of the updated User Guide here and preview copies of the new Flashcards here.

      The full resources were published on May 22nd 2023 when the Family Stars on Star Online were automatically updated to the new edition.

      Do you work with the 2022-2025 Supporting Families programme in the UK?

      We’ve recently published a blog and developed some specific guidance for mapping the Family Star Plus outcome areas to the Supporting Families framework. Find out more here.

      Questions or need more information?

      For support with any aspect of the update or anything else relating to the Outcomes Star, please contact us.

      Read more