Integrated Working Toolkit

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1 Integrated Working Toolkit

2 2 Contents 1 Foreword 1 Diversity and equal opportunities statement 2 2 Introduction 3 3 CAF process 4 Telford and Wrekin continuum of need and intervention Holistic Common Assessment Framework process CAF flowchart 2 4 CAF practice and procedure 9 CAF TAC Lead professional 5 Impact measures Seamless integrated working step up, step down 17 7 CAF quality assurance audit process 29 8 Glossary 32 9 Appendices 33 1 Common assessment domain and elements descriptors 2 Example questions for CAF 3 Common assessment threshold matrix 4 CAF checklist for practitioners 5 Child/young person impact measures for you, or your family 6 Telford and Wrekin CAFLS common assessment quality assurance audit form 7 Telford and Wrekin multi-agency common assessment framework quality assurance audit form 8 Telford and Wrekin common assessment framework for children & young people (CAF) 9 Telford and Wrekin team around the child plan (TAC) 10 Telford and Wrekin family connect safeguarding request for service form Page Integrated Working Toolkit

3 1. Foreword The Children Act 2004 provides the legal underpinning for integrated working. It builds on and strengthens the framework set out in the Children Act 1989 by placing a duty on agencies to co-operate to improve the wellbeing of children. The current Working Together to Safeguard Children Guidance (2013) identifies the responsibility of agencies working together to promote early help and states that providing early help is more effective in promoting the welfare of children than reacting later. Early help means providing support as soon as a problem emerges, at any point in a child s life, from the foundation years through to the teenage years. The Telford & Wrekin Community Strategy Shaping Our Future Our Journey to 2020, identifies two high level objectives: Effective early help relies upon local agencies working together to: narrowing the gap between our least and most deprived communities protect and create jobs Both of these goals are central to improving outcomes for children, young people and families. To address these objectives, The Children, Young People & Family Board s vision for children, young people and families in Telford and Wrekin is that they: Start well Develop well Live well Work well Die well every child has the best start in life every child and young person has the opportunity to achieve their full potential every child and young person will have a healthy and positive lifestyle every child and young person is able to achieve economic well being those whose lives are shortened receive the care and support they require At every stage of their life children and young people will be kept safe from harm and neglect. Effective early help relies upon local agencies working together to: identify children and families who would benefit from early help; undertake an assessment of the need for early help; and provide targeted early help services to address the assessed needs of a child and their family which focuses on activity to significantly improve the outcomes for the child. local authorities, under section 10 of the Children Act 2004, have a responsibility to promote inter-agency cooperation to improve the welfare of children. This toolkit has been produced to provide practitioners with a useful set of tools to support inter-agency working, information sharing, common assessment, planning and review, process and practice within Telford and Wrekin. Integrated Working Toolkit 1

4 Integrated Working Toolkit Diversity and equal opportunties statement Practitioners working within these integrated processes and multi-agency teams delivering services to children, young people and families in Telford and Wrekin should be able to work effectively with people with disabilities and within multi-ethnic communities. Training and plans should take account of this. Integrated practices and processes will promote the value of equal opportunities. Practitioners involved in the common assessment process will treat children and young people with equal fairness, respect and dignity, regardless of race, colour, disability, gender, sexuality, care of dependents, religious or political beliefs or unrelated criminal convictions, with consideration to their specific needs with regards to their age and development. Practitioners should undertake to work with the parents and family of identified children treating them with equal fairness, respect and dignity, regardless of race, colour, disability, gender, sexuality, care of dependents, religious or political beliefs or unrelated criminal convictions. Practitioners will work with all other professionals and employees whether from the statutory or voluntary sector and afford them respect and dignity, providing forums to express their views and perspectives regarding the needs of the children and families. All staff are bound by their own professional codes of conduct and will be held accountable to them for their professional conduct. 2

5 2. Introduction The Integrated working toolkit is a guide to working together effectively to support children, young people and families, which applies to practitioners in every agency. The toolkit will assist practitioners in delivering the Common Assessment Framework, practice and procedure. It is underpinned by Working Together to Safeguard Children a guide to inter-agency working to safeguard and promote the welfare of children. This document should be read in conjunction with the Local Safeguarding Children Board (LSCB) procedures that reflect good practice of early intervention and prevention and the legal framework underpinning work with children to promote their welfare and prevent abuse. These procedures are available at: telfordsafeguardingboard.org.uk and The Child s Journey in Telford and Wrekin threshold document criteria that includes guidance on support services for children and families. This document has been produced to aid practitioners to identify those children and young people who are suffering or likely to suffer, harm from abuse or neglect and who need a referral to children s social care. All the evidence suggests that one of the effective ways to protect children from harm is through early intervention and prevention services. Professor Eileen Munro in her Review of Child Protection in England (2011) emphasises the importance of early intervention. By ensuring earlier identification and support we can help to prevent an escalation of concerns. In Telford and Wrekin we want to ensure that all those working with children are able to identify the early help that is needed by a particular child and their family. Using their professional judgement along with this guide, practitioners will feel better equipped to direct families to appropriate resources or to refer them to appropriate specialist services. The Local Safeguarding Children Board (LSCB) endorses and actively promotes the use of the Common Assessment Framework (CAF) as a means of assessing a child and their family where unmet needs have been identified. The assessment is a process that facilitates effective and efficient joint working, placing a team around the child where appropriate. Taking a partnership approach from the start should mean that fewer children in Telford and Wrekin are at risk of serious harm from abuse or neglect and in need of protection. By adopting the practices within this toolkit you will be promoting early intervention and prevention and helping avoid escalation of needs. Integrated Working Toolkit 3

6 Integrated Working Toolkit 3. CAF process Telford and Wrekin continuum of need and intervention The Telford and Wrekin Windscreen Continuum of Need and Intervention is similar to those found in other Local Authorities. For some children/young people it is clear where they fall on the continuum; for other children/young people a practitioner may need to use the Indicators of Need contained in this document to try to decide whether or not the child/young person has additional needs, and where they might fall on the continuum. This process can help decide whether a CAF would be appropriate, to help further clarify need and appropriate response. Sometimes it is only by completing a CAF that practitioners can gain a clear understanding of the child or young person s level of need and what would be the appropriate service response. Early Help -CAF/TAC Levels of Need Universal The partnership model is based on the four levels of need in Telford and Wrekin continuum of need and intervention: Universal services Universal Vulnerable Early help Single or co-ordinated multi-agency services - Vulnerable Targeted - Co-ordinated multi-agency services Complex Specialist services Co-ordinated Multi-agency Acute Complex Team around the Child/Family Targeted Support Services - TAF Social Care Intervention Acute 4

7 Universal services Most children and young people s needs can be met through universal services for example, schools, youth services, GP surgeries as well as from support from within the family, friendship, and community networks. A relatively very small number of children and young people, at risk of significant harm or significant impairment to health or development, require specialist support acute services, usually led by children s social care. All who come into contact with families have a part to play in identifying those children whose needs are not being adequately met. Some of these needs can be helped by universal and early intervention services, while others may need referral to more specialist services, including children s social care. Additional needs In between universal and acute are the vulnerable children/young people who have additional needs and are in need of early help or more targeted support. Information on how to find out about the range of services available between universal and complex universal services, early help and targeted multi-agency services is available by contacting Family Connect. Telford & Wrekin Children & Family Services uses thresholds to consider whether a referral will be accepted, whether an assessment will be undertaken, and what services will be offered or provided. This way they can ensure that help is provided for those children who are most vulnerable and that any decisions made about services are consistent. Common Assessment Framework (CAF) process Under the partnership model, the CAF will be used for all children and families who need early help services and targeted and co-ordinated multi-agency services. The CAF for children and young people is a shared assessment tool to help develop a shared understanding of a child s need, so they can be met more effectively. It will help avoid children and families having to re-tell their story. The CAF will act as the key early help and preventative assessment tool. This is to make sure that we are assessing families needs properly and have a whole picture of the services they need and are being offered. The principle is therefore that a CAF should always be considered and used when unmet needs have been identified (and consent received from the child/young person and/or their parent or carer, unless the case is so serious that consent can be waived) before any referral. Common Assessment Framework - A holistic assessment process The CAF is a holistic assessment of a child s needs for services. It is a process for recognising signs that a child may have unmet needs that universal services cannot meet. It is also a process for identifying and involving other agencies who may be able to support the child and/or undertake specialist assessment. Central to its development is the principle that it is child/young person centred, holistic and can be shared across professionals as appropriate. The CAF provides a common method of assessment across children s services and local areas. It facilitates early identification of needs, leading to co-ordinated provision of services, involving a lead professional where appropriate, and sharing information to avoid the duplication of assessments. Integrated Working Toolkit 5

8 Integrated Working Toolkit When to use a CAF? The CAF is designed to be used at universal to complex, primarily as a holistic assessment of need to support multi-agency work. It should be used whenever there is a concern about a child or young person s well-being and the cause and appropriate response are not clear. You might use a CAF if: You are concerned about how the child/young person is progressing, in terms of their health, welfare, behaviour, learning, or any other aspect of their well-being; You receive a request from the child/young person or parent/carer for more support. You are concerned about the child/young person s appearance or behaviour, but their needs are unclear or are broader than your service can address; There is persistent absenteeism from school The child/young person is disengaged from education The child is under 5 years old and there are concerns that they are not meeting the five Every Child Matters outcomes. There is a teenager under 16 years who is pregnant or they are teenage parents The young person is homeless and not receiving support from a social worker The young person requires a referral to substance misuse services There are children/young people in families with multiple reports of domestic abuse incidents and have not been referred to social care services Young people are involved in Acceptable Behaviour Contracts Children/young people require additional support to prevent their entry into the youth justice system You want to use the CAF to help you identify the needs of the child/young person and/or to pool knowledge and expertise with other agencies to support the child/young person better. The holistic picture of needs identified by the CAF might then underpin either a single-agency response or a joint-agency response, a co-ordinated multi-agency response organised by a lead professional and a Team Around the Child (TAC) or a referral to Family Connect Safeguarding Advisor team. When not to do a CAF? There is no need to do a common assessment for every child you work with. Children who are progressing well or have needs that are already being met do not need one. You don t need to do a common assessment where you have identified the needs and your service can meet them. If you think the child is a child in need, which includes being at risk of significant harm, you should follow established child protection procedures immediately. Common assessment doesn t mean these procedures aren t followed. When the child/young person already has an active referral open to a service within social care When the child/young person is a looked after child or has a child protection plan. 6 When the child/young person or their parent/carer does not give consent. The CAF is voluntary.

9 Complexity The CAF has the potential to support some multi-agency work with families with fairly complex needs at complex level. Families at this level may, but not necessarily, be eligible for a referral to Family Connect Safeguarding Advisor team, However you may take advice and guidance from a community social worker usually at this point a CAF and Team around the Child meeting will have been considered or completed, or if the family or young person refuses to participate in the CAF process advice should be sought. The process of completing a CAF will help to identify whether thresholds have been met to make a referral to Family Connect Safeguarding Advisor Team, which might then trigger an involvement from one of the children s social care teams. Before considering a referral to Family Connect, practitioners should also ask themselves what the involvement of children s social care team would add to the intervention. Information sharing and consent - a partnership with parents The CAF process is designed to be empowering for families. You should discuss your concerns with the child/young person and their parent/carer before deciding whether to complete a CAF or not. A CAF assessment is first and foremost about having a conversation with the family; the CAF form is just a structured way of recording the conversation. If the family does not agree to undergo a CAF assessment, their wishes must be respected. If a family has not agreed to a proposed CAF assessment, the practitioner should try to identify why the family might be reluctant to engage. Some families will have had a negative experience of accessing services and it may take some time to build their trust. If the practitioner does not gain the family s consent and in the future has ongoing concerns, the practitioner should consider contacting Family Connect for advice and guidance. If the child or young person gives consent and the parents do not, the practitioner should consider whether the child or young person is of an age and understanding where their consent can override their parents lack of consent. Thresholds guidance Please refer to The Childs Journey in Telford and Wrekin for a more detailed understanding of the Telford and Wrekin thresholds. Thresholds have been developed based upon a continuum of identified need and services in order to promote early identification of concerns by universal services. This approach utilises a four-tier model that takes into account the different stages of need and types of intervention, which are available to all children and their families Children can move across the tiers at different times in their lives, or at different times during agency s contact with them. Support and or intervention may be provided on either a single or multi-agency basis to address the identified needs of the child. They may also receive services from across the tiers at the same time. Integrated Working Toolkit Within each tier of the model there are identified planning processes and a range of services that are available to the child and their family. In order to assist managers and practitioners, a matrix of possible indicators (thresholds framework) has been developed which highlights these issues and there are some examples/case studies of the type of situation that would be found within each of the tiers of need. 7

10 Integrated Working Toolkit The lists are not exhaustive and the table of possible indicators must not be used as a tick list. It is important to note that competent practitioner judgement is always the key and consideration must be given to the impact on the child or young person as well as other factors such as: the child s age, maturity and the co-operation/engagement of the parents/carers and wider family. Practitioners should be continually mindful of the accumulative effect of a number of concerns about a child s well-being, as well as the potential harm to children and young people if there is no sustained change over a period of time despite targeted support. This is echoed by Margaret Adcock in A Child s Voice she states Risk is cumulative. If there are two or more risk factors in a family where a child s care is a cause for concern, the risk to the child is increased compared to that of a child in the normal population. The developmental risk factors for the child and other risks arising from environmental factors and parenting capacity therefore need to be looked at carefully. NB: If you are worried that a child may have been seriously harmed or may be at risk of significant or serious harm, you should follow Telford and Wrekin Safeguarding procedures without delay 8

11 4. CAF practice and procedures CAF process flowchart Worried/concerned/unmet needs about a child? Discuss with your line manager Consider what you need to do to help. You have a responsibility to take appropriate action. Child at risk of immediate / significant harm or acute need identified? if yes contact Family Connect Practitioner to ascertain if a CAF/TAC has already been completed and or if any other service are involved with the child/young person/family. Is a CAF required? Complete CAF, consider support required. Single Agency Delivery Is a multi-agency response required? Agree action plan and set time and date for TAC Continue with Single Agency Delivery Review: Have all needs being met? Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Step Down to universal Services Re assess action plan. Reconsider unmet need and seek appropriate consultation and additional support from targeted support Services. (ie) CSWT, FIT, CAMHS Review: Worry/Concern/Unmet needs? No Continue support until step down to Universal Services No No Yes No No No Step Up Child at risk of immediate /significant harm or acute need identified? If yes contact Family Connect Family Connect Safeguarding Decision. Has the threshold been met for Social Worker assessment No Provision of advice and guidance Request other service to assist by offering early help using CAF to support unmet needs. Refer to other agency Triage Case Consultation Yes Yes Social Worker assessment Integrated Working Toolkit 9

12 Integrated Working Toolkit How to do the common assessment: in practice Step 1: Preparation You talk to the child/young person and their parent/carer. You discuss the issues and what you can do to help. You talk to anyone else you need to, your manager, colleagues, other staff (including in other agencies) already involved with the child. You might also use the checklist. You decide a common assessment would be useful and you seek the agreement of the child/young person and their parent as appropriate. Step 2: Discussion You talk to the child, parent or family and complete the assessment with them. You make use of information you have already gathered from the child, family or other practitioners so they don t have to repeat themselves. If there is already a common assessment you add to or update it with the family. At the end of the discussion you understand better the child and family s strengths, needs, and what can be done to help. You agree actions that your service and the family can deliver. You agree with the family any actions that require others to deliver. You record this on the form. Step 3: Service delivery You deliver on your actions. You make referrals or broker access to other services, using the common assessment to demonstrate evidence of need. You keep an eye on progress. Where the child or family needs services from across a range of agencies, there should be a TAC meeting called to ensure coordinating of actions required and monitoring progress. How to do the common assessment discussion The common assessment form is just a way of recording your conversation with the child and or their parent and other knowledge and observations. The discussion does not have to be highly formal or presented as a big event. You will want to use a method and style that suits you, the child/parent and the situation. Key points to remember: Explain the purpose of the assessment, why you are recording information and what will happen to it. Make sure they understand that the CAF is a resource to help them access services. There is no stigma attached. Check they consent to what is proposed. If the child is old enough to understand what you are proposing, they should give consent themselves. Do not assume that children with a disability or learning disabilities are not capable of understanding. The interview is collaborative - you are working with the family to find solutions - they will often know better than you. complete the front pages of basic details (please ensure that all demographic information is recorded). Go through the domain assessment areas. You should consider each of the three domains separately: child development, including health and learning; parenting issues; and family and environmental issues. If you are worried about a child s welfare or safety or your own safety, act accordingly. If you re not sure, seek immediate advice. 10 For each domain assessment area, you should consider each of the elements in turn; to the extent they are appropriate in the circumstances. Concentrate on the presenting issues. But you should consider the whole child, not just your own agency focus. You should also focus on areas of strength in the family, not just needs.

13 Your assessment should be based on facts and evidence, not just opinion. Facts and evidence are what you have seen, what the child has said and what the family members have said: At the end of each domain assessment area you should summarise the presenting issues, concerns and the evidence behind them. Agree these summaries with the child/young person and parent/carer. Agree what you say with the child or parent and record any major differences of opinion. In order to consider the level of need for interventions, you could use the CAF threshold matrix to determine the need and the appropriate response (see Appendix 3) To conclude the assessment try and focus on what the child and family can do for themselves If they need more, see if you can provide it. Or see if targeted support is provided within your agency. If you need outside help, or contact Family Connect. Agree what needs to change and the actions required to support these changes and agree who will do what and when you will review progress. Record the child or parent s consent to share the assessment information with other agencies and any limitations on that consent. Give a copy of the assessment to the child or family and explain that they can show it to other services if they wish to do so. Complete the impact measure forms with child/young person and parent. This will act as a progress mapping tool throughout the Common Assessment Framework process. Don t be put off by the language in which some of the elements are expressed. These terms are used in existing assessment frameworks. We want the common assessment to be compatible with these, so other agencies can build on the common assessment you have done, rather than starting again from scratch with their own assessment frameworks. Before you send the common assessment to the Children & Family Locality Services you may wish to complete the practitioners checklist (see Appendix 4) to determine if you have completed the CAF process correctly. What happens next? The most likely outcomes of the assessment are that you will have: resolved your concerns - no additional action required; or agreed some actions for you or your agency and or the child/family: you undertake your actions, set a date for review, and monitor progress; or begin the Team Around the Child process inviting the relevant services that will be required to assist the family also.. send a copy of your signed CAF and the impact measure forms to the Children & Family Locality Services (Please ensure you only send signed copies). If the child, young person or family don t want to participate, you can t force them. If that happens you may wish to use the CAF to structure information that you do have, in order to aid yours or your agency s decision-making. But you will need to record clearly that agreement to undertake a common assessment has been refused. Before sharing any information you have gathered you will then need to consider carefully whether for example the public interest in sharing the information overrides the lack of consent; Integrated Working Toolkit 11

14 Integrated Working Toolkit How to complete a Team Around the Child plan (TAC) The Team Around the Child model has been developed in response to the need for joined up services and the need to provide a more integrated approach within existing resources. The aim is to reduce duplication and support a common service delivery approach which continues from the CAF process. A TAC aims to plan actions around the child s identified unmet needs through an agreed written TAC plan. The actions can be agreed in a variety of means. Practitioners may be involved in the TAC in a number of ways, e.g.: as lead professional having completed the CAF as a practitioner involved with the family for information, consultation and advice delivery of services The Team Around the Child brings together relevant practitioners with the family to address the child or young person s needs. The team works together to plan co-ordinated support from agencies to address problems in a holistic way. It can be an evolving team of practitioners who see the child/young person and family to provide support and who will work with the child/young person and family as appropriate. Parents should have an active role in the TAC and their contribution should be recognised as they have a central role in meeting the needs of the child. Some parents may need to be supported to achieve this due to their own unmet needs. Practitioners involved in the TAC must consider solutions, which should include family strengths and universal children s services, as well as statutory services (contact Family Connect as appropriate). It is important to be creative to find needs-led solutions. The function of the TAC includes: reviewing and agreeing information shared through CAF planning and agreeing actions with timescales identifying solutions, allocating tasks and appropriate resources agreeing lead professional monitoring and reviewing outcomes with timescales reporting, as required, to other review meetings or resource panels identifying gaps and informing planning and commissioning The membership of the TAC will inevitably change as the needs of the child and family change. The TAC operates as a supportive team, rather than just a group of practitioners and parents. In this way there is direct benefit to parents who have new opportunities to discuss their child and family with key practitioners all in one place and to practitioners who might otherwise feel isolated and unsupported in their work with the child and family. What is important about the TAC process is that there is always a lead professional and an agreed plan of involvement. It is paramount that the parent/carer and child/young person can relate to the practitioners involved. 12

15 The ideal TAC: is encouraging, positive and supportive to all members provides members with an equal voice arrives at a collective agreement acknowledges differences of views and negotiates workable solutions reviews and tracks progress of the child/young person, complete the impact measures again to plot the progress made The role of the lead professional with the TAC includes: convening a TAC meeting in a suitable location for the family to attend. chairing family friendly TAC meetings/discussions recording and distributing a copy of the TAC plan after each meeting reviewing and tracking outcomes for the child/young person generally supporting the child/family through the process Send a copy of the signed TAC plan including the impact measures to the Children & Family Locality Services. The role of the lead professional In Telford and Wrekin we use the metaphor holding onto the baton because until now many professionals have expected to pass on referrals to other agencies once they have identified a child s needs letting go of the baton as they did so. For teams around children to work the lead professional plays an important role in making sure no-one lets go of the baton, particularly when handing over to a new lead professional. The role of the lead professional is to co-ordinate actions and services and track and share information. At the initial TAC meeting it will be decided if the LP that completed the CAF will continue as the LP. The lead professional will be the practitioner with the most relevant skills and experience and has a responsibility to ensure that services are co-ordinated. Responsibility for meeting the child and young person s needs rests with the whole team, with the lead professional having a co-ordinating and tracking role. Where parents or young people do not consent to information being shared or to the process, this is factored into the assessment so that the most relevant way forward for all concerned can be taken. Lead professionals have a central role in ensuring that children and young people get the support they need, when and how they need it. The role should also increase choice for children and families, and improve effectiveness and efficiency in delivery. Integrated Working Toolkit Becoming the lead professional does not imply the person does all the work and is singly accountable. It means they will ensure the TAC is working together efficiently and track the child s progress. It is vital that all members of the TAC recognise they continue to be accountable for the child s welfare. 13

16 Integrated Working Toolkit 14 Key functions of the lead professional The lead professional will: Use the Integrated Working Toolkit to support the CAF practice to ensure that children, young people and families receive a consistent, supportive early help experience. Act as a single point of contact for the child, young person and/or their family. They will be someone that the child/young person can trust and who can engage them in making choices, navigating their way through the system and affecting change. Build a positive working relationship with the child or young person and family to secure their engagement and involvement in the process Provide the child, young person or family with sufficient information to empower them to contribute to the decision making process and ensure they remain central to any decisions taken; Co-ordinate the delivery of the actions agreed by the practitioners involved to ensure that children/ young people and families receive an effective service which is regularly reviewed. These actions will be based on the outcome of the assessment and recorded in an action plan. Ensure that progress is monitored, use the impact measures, record relevant information of progress made within the action plan Ensure that an effective handover takes place if or when a new lead professional is identified Reduce overlap and inconsistency in the services received. Where possible find creative, no-cost solutions by working collaboratively with others who may have avenues to access support, this may be through charities, voluntarily or private organisations Report any known gaps in services to the Family Connect Service Delivery Manager. A lead professional should have access to professional supervision and/or line management from their home agency and where appropriate additional training to enable them to make appropriate decisions. Top tips for lead professionals 1. Ensure all practitioners involved and the family have your contact details and vice versa. 2. Set a review date at initial meeting with family 3. Plan contact with child/young person and family, so they know you will be actively involved. Check back at regular intervals to see how it is going. 4. Remember you are part of a team working together with the family and you are not expected to do everything. 5. Be clear to other practitioners involved in what circumstances other practitioners need to contact you e.g. if the family is not co-operating with an aspect of the support plan and the practitioner needs your input and support. 6. Be prepared to reconvene meeting with the family and practitioners involved if things are not going to plan. 7. If another practitioner is not carrying out their contribution, raise it with them. This hopefully will focus them back on track. 8. If 7 continues, raise it with your line manager and they will need to speak to the other practitioner s manager. 9. Use the TAC plan and outcome measures to review and monitor progress.

17 5. Impact measures What are impact measures? Telford & Wrekin has designed a complete set of impact measures that follows the domains and elements of the CAF. The impact measures have been created in consultation with parents, carers and young people. Why are they used? The purpose of the impact measures is to map the progress made on a case by case basis. They will also highlight any significant issues whereby change has not been successful, allowing further focus to be given to these areas to ensure change occurs. The Ofsted inspection of services for children in need of help and protection, children looked after and care leavers, requires us to provide information on all those children and families who have been subject of an early help assessment, a common assessment or a targeted intervention in the six months prior to the inspection. In order to receive a judgement outcome of good the inspectors will expect all of us to demonstrate the effectiveness of help, care or support children and families have received from the time it is first needed until it ends. The impact measures will allow us to map and demonstrate this process. The national guidance for the common assessment framework suggests that all Local Authorities introduce arrangements to ensure that the CAF process is being conducted in a high quality way across all children s services. The impact measures are a tool to be used at each stage of the process to demonstrate the effectiveness of the assessment and actions identified. The measurements are a self evaluation by the child and parent of the progress they feel they have made throughout being involved in this process. When are they to be used? The impact measures need to be completed by the lead professional and the parent/carer and young person (age appropriate) at the end of completing the CAF and at the end of each and every subsequent TAC meeting. If the CAF does not progress to a TAC meeting the service will review the action points of the CAF within an acceptable time period to ensure the CAF closes and is able to demonstrate progress made. Where cases have progressed to a TAC meeting the impact measures will need to be completed at the end of each meeting. How are the measures to be used? The lead professional will complete the initial impact measures once the identified needs of the CAF have been concluded with the parent/carers and young person. Only score the impact measures relevant to the issues presented within the CAF. All other measures should be recorded as zero, as not being an issue at all. The same principle will apply after each subsequent TAC meeting. The impact measures will need to be completed after each subsequent TAC meeting with only the lead professional, parent/carer/young person present. Integrated Working Toolkit After completion the measures will be forwarded along with the CAF/TAC information to CAFLS for processing. All lead professionals will have a simplified matrix to record the reviewed impact measures to demonstrate progress or highlight any significant issues whereby change has not been successful. 15

18 Integrated Working Toolkit Top tip for lead professionals 1. The impact measures must only be completed with only the lead professional, parent/carer and young person present as a conclusion of actions undertaken See Appendix 5 for both child and parent/carer impact measures. 16

19 6. A seamless approach to integrated working - step up, step down Step up / Step down guide Abbreviations CAF Common Assessment Form CIC Child In Care EHCP Education Health Care Plan TAC Team Around the Child TAF Team Around the Family Step up and step down processes are a key element of delivering the right services to children and families at the right time. Step up When professionals work together in an integrated way, they put the child at the centre of all activities to help identify their holistic needs earlier to improve their life outcomes. It is important to see safeguarding as part of a continuum where prevention, early intervention and targeted work can help children and families get back on track and prevent problems turning into crises where social care intervention is required. The CAF is a process that is followed by practitioners to help them identify and record a child s strengths and needs within their family and environmental context. In Telford and Wrekin, CAF is used not just to identify need as early as possible but to draw strong support around children and families with complex problems who do not require social care intervention, but there is a need for well co-ordinated and at times, targeted intensive support to prevent difficulties escalating towards a crisis. In some circumstances there may be a level of risk that needs to be held by those working with the child and family that is not high enough to warrant intervention by social care, but still causes anxiety for those working in the TAC/EHCP/TAF. Equally there can be an escalation of risk in a given situation that may need reassessment to consider if there is a new requirement for social care intervention. The step up process refers to a need for a change in the level of response after initial engagement that required involvement from agencies including specialist and targeted services due to indications that the child/children may be at risk of significant harm. There may sometimes be a need to step up cases of concern whereby there is a lack of progress despite the concerted efforts of a TAC/EHCP/TAF which increases the issues of risk of significant harm. At the point of stepping up it is important that agencies do not disengage their support from a family without ensuring that colleagues in other agencies are sufficiently informed to continue working with the child and that the family are aware of the actions you are taking. Integrated Working Toolkit When a child is at immediate risk of harm the Telford & Wrekin safeguarding procedures must be followed. 17

20 Integrated Working Toolkit Children social care request for service without CAF/TAC/EHCP/TAF processes in place. When cases are being considered to be presented to Family Connect Safeguarding Advisor team without indication that the child(ren)/young people and family are being supported through our integrated CAF/TAC/ EHCP/TAF process the following principles will apply: Prior to contacting Family Connect Safeguarding team the practitioner should consult with the designated safeguarding lead officer of their agency. The practitioner may also wish to consider completing a common assessment to evidence the unmet needs of the child/young person and family. If it has been deemed appropriate for a request for service to be made to Family Connect Safeguarding team this can be accepted without a CAF/TAC/EHCP/TAF process having been completed especially where it is believed that the case meets the threshold for a child at risk of significant harm. Prior to calling the Family Connect Safeguarding team please consider: Parental consent to share information unless if by doing so it will place the child at further risk of harm. Complete the Family Connect request for service form within 2 working days. Family Connect Safeguarding Advisor team will consider whether the threshold has been met for intervention from a children s social care team. Where the threshold has not been met for a social care intervention the Family Connect Safeguarding advisor will provide advice and guidance as to the options that are available. They may triage the case to alternative early intervention and prevention support services for support. The case will then close to Family Connect Safeguarding Advisor team. Where the threshold is met for social care intervention a social worker will complete an assessment. The outcome of a social work assessment may highlight a child who is vulnerable or has complex needs and that the child and family would benefit from having alternative services to support them. In these instances the social worker will contact the appropriate support services and request that they hold a TAC/EHCP/TAF meeting. The social worker will attend if appropriate or if this is a single service request for support a joint home visit will be undertaken if appropriate. With agreed consent to share information the social worker will share the assessment with the members who will be attending the TAC/EHCP/TAF or with the single agency. Note: If the parent is not in agreement with the assessment being shared with the TAC/EHCP/TAF members the social worker will confirm with the parent which elements of the assessment the parent will not agree to share and only share those parts agreed. Where the social worker will no longer be required to support the case once appropriate access to services has been initiated an appropriate lead professional must be in place to ensure an ongoing coordination of support. If following social work assessment, the outcome concludes that continued social work involvement is appropriate, the social worker will be the lead professional and will organise a CIN, CP, CIC or TAC/ EHCP/TAF meeting. 18

21 Step up request for service to children s social care without CAF/TAC/EHCP/TAF in place. Prior to contacting Family Connect Safeguarding Advisor Team the practitioner would need to consult with the designated safeguarding lead officer of their agency. Information relating to the concern presented to Family Connect Safeguarding acknowledging that the family are not currently supported through a CAF/TAC/EHCP/TAF process. Family Connect Safeguarding Advisor Team will consider whether the threshold has been met for an intervention from one of the children s social care teams If appropriate the Family Connect advisor will initiate a multi-agency child enquiry to support an informed timely decision. Decision made to triage case for early help or prevention support. Family Connect Safeguarding advisor recommends that referrer completes Common Assessment Framework process to support family Triage case consultation identifies most appropriate service to support family. This may include advice/ guidance from community social work team. Family Connect Safeguarding advisors signpost case to single agency for early help or prevention support. Decision made for an assessment to be carried out by a social worker from most appropriate team. Assessment identifies that the family require support from a single service. The social worker will contact the service area to arrange a joint visit. (Where appropriate) Assessment identifies that the family requires social worker involvement The social worker will become the lead professional. The assessment will inform the appropriate action to be taken. (i.e.) CP, CIN, TAC/EHCP/ TAF No on-going role for social worker but assessment identifies that the family require support from alternative services. Most appropriate lead professional to be identified to convene Team Around the Child Social worker to attend first meeting (where appropriate) Integrated Working Toolkit The line managers of the lead professionals must monitor, support, and review cases that have been brought to the attention of Family Connect Safeguarding or that have been stepped down from social care to ensure a co-ordinated support package is maintained until closure of the support plan has been achieved. 19

22 Integrated Working Toolkit Children s social care request for service within existing CAF/TAC/EHCP/TAF processes. Where cases are being presented to Family Connect Safeguarding Advisor team within existing CAF/EHCP/ TAC/TAF process the following principles will apply: Prior to contacting Family Connect Safeguarding team the practitioner would need to consult with their designated safeguarding lead officer of their agency. If it has been deemed appropriate for a request for service to be made to Family Connect Safeguarding team especially where the practitioner believes a child is at risk of significant harm. Prior to calling the Family Connect Safeguarding team please consider: Parental consent to share information unless if by doing so it will place the child at further risk of harm. Copies of CAF/TAC/EHCP/TAF to be shared on request Complete the Family Connect request for service form within 2 working days. Family Connect Safeguarding Advisor Team will consider whether the threshold has been met for intervention from children s social care. Where the threshold has not been met for a social care assessment The Family Connect Safeguarding advisor will provide advice and guidance as to the options that are available. The case will then close to Family Connect Safeguarding Advisor team. When the threshold is met for social care intervention a social worker will complete an assessment. The allocated social worker will make contact with the referring lead professional and other members of the TAC/EHCP/TAF. This could take place either by telephone or face to face. The social worker may arrange to undertake a joint home visit to the child s/children s family home with the lead professional/other member of the TAC/EHCP/TAF.. When the social worker has completed the assessment the lead professional will be informed of this by the social worker. The social worker will contact the parent of the child and gain consent for the assessment to be shared in full with the appropriate professionals TAC/EHCP/TAF members. Note: If the parent is not in agreement with the assessment being shared with the TAC/EHCP/TAF members the social worker will confirm with the parent which elements of the assessment the parent will not agree to share and only share the agreed parts. The social worker will request that the lead professional convenes a TAC/EHCP/TAF meeting in order to share this assessment, its outcomes and recommendations with all members of the TAC/ EHCP/TAF. The social worker s assessment may determine that the escalation of the concerns raised and the analysis of the evidence clearly identifies that the child/children are at risk of significant harm any of the following actions may apply: The social worker may remain involved and become a member of the TAC/EHCP/TAF The social worker may initiate a child protection case conference The Social Worker may initiate accommodation of the child/children 20

23 Step up - request for service to children s social care within existing CAF/TAC/EHCP/TAF processes in place. Prior to contacting Family Connect Safeguarding Advisor Team the practitioner would need to consult with the designated safeguarding lead officer of their agency. Information relating to the concern must be presented to Family Connect Safeguarding acknowledging that the family are currently supported through a CAF/TAC/EHCP/TAF process. Family Connect Safeguarding Advisor team will consider whether the threshold has been met for an intervention from one of the children s social care teams. If appropriate the Family Connect advisor will initiate a multi-agency child enquiry to support an informed timely decision. Decision made that the threshold has not been met for a children social care intervention Family Connect Safeguarding advisors may provide advice and guidance to the referring agency. This may include seeking advice/guidance from the community social workers and/or the children and family locality service teams Decision made for an assessment to be carried out by a social worker from most appropriate team. Assessment identifies that the family require support from a single service. The social worker will contact the service area to arrange a joint visit. (Where appropriate) Assessment identifies that the family requires social worker involvement The social worker will become the lead professional. The assessment will inform the appropriate actions to be taken. (i.e) CP, CIN, TAC/EHCP/ TAF No role for social worker but assessment identifies that the family require on-going support. Lead professional convenes TAC/ EHCP/ TAF Social worker to attend meeting to ensure actions from assessment are addressed (where appropriate) Integrated Working Toolkit The line manager of the lead professional must monitor, support, and review cases that have been brought to the attention of Family Connect Safeguarding or that have been stepped down from social care to ensure a co-ordinated support package is maintained until closure of the support plan has been achieved. 21

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