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15) Useful Contacts Useful Numbers: Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH): 01202 735046 Family Information Service: 01202 261999

Find a local Youth Centre: 01202 262281 (age 8-19: activities; info, support and advice on careers, health etc)

Find a local Children’s Centre: 01202 261999 (age 0-5: activities; info, support and advice on childcare, health, parenting etc)

Young Adults Drug and Alcohol Service (YADAS) 01202 741414

EDAS SMART: Adult Alcohol/Substance Misuse: 01202 735777

School Nursing: 01202 711538 (or via School)

Health Visiting: Contact via GP surgery

Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS): 01202 308075 Poole Hospital: 01202 665511

CYPL 5-19 services: 01202 261980 / 01202 262291 (No. 18) (age 5-19 with additional need: worklessness, school attendance, parenting, targeted

youth work, young parents, Number 18 Advice Centre for Young People) Borough of Poole Housing Advice: 01202 633804

BCHA 24 hour Domestic Violence Helpline: 01202 748488

Children & Young People’s Social Care (all teams): 01202 735046

Safer Neighbourhoods Teams - Dorset Police: 101

Steps to Wellbeing: Adult Mental Health: 01202 633583

Youth Offending Service: 01202 453939 For more information about Early Help and Integrated Working, please contact the MASH: 01202 735046 - eha@poole.gov.uk

Early Help in Poole

Guidance for Practitioners

Integrated Working Identifying needs early

Poole Early Help Assessment (PEHA) Team Around the Family

Lead Practitioner

The right help at the right time

Agencies working together to support children, young people and families in Poole This booklet explains what to do and where to go for advice and information when you identify a child, young person or family in need of extra support Multi-agency working to ensure families in Poole get the right help at the right time

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1

Contents 1) Introduction 3

2) Identify a family in need of additional support 4

3) Information Sharing and Consent 4

4) Establish level of need and what support is already in place (screening)

6

5) Assess needs 17

6) Guide to using the PEHA 19

7) PEHA Checklist 20

8) Identify other services which can help and seek expert advice

25

9) Action planning 26

10) Team Around the Family and Reviewing the Plan 29

11) Identify a Lead Practitioner 32

12) Closing the Plan 37

13) Flowchart 38

14) Levels of Need 39

15) Useful Contact details 42

2

39

14) Levels of Need

38

13) Flowchart

3

1) Introduction The purpose of this leaflet is to give Poole practitioners an overview of what happens when you identify a family where there is a need for some additional support, but where a referral to Social Care is not appropriate. Please read this guidance in conjunction with the Bournemouth and Poole LSCB levels of need document

If at any point you are concerned for the safety of any person, speak to your line manager, call the Multi-agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH): 01202 735046 and/or the Police: 101/999 as appropriate and always follow LSCB procedures.

Free Early Help training is provided by the Borough of Poole: please visit www.pooleworkforcedevelopment.co.uk/cpd and search for ‘early help’.

2) Identify a family in need of additional support Early Help means offering support when a concern first emerges, rather than allowing the situation to escalate. Often those working in Universal services such as Health Visitors, Youth Workers or School and Early Years staff are best placed to notice the early signs that a family or young person might need some extra help. Early Help is for all ages: unborn to 19 (not just under 5s!) x So that problems don’t arise in the first place

(prevention). x So that problems are dealt with early (early intervention). x So that we support children, young people and families

when they are more vulnerable and have more complex or longer-lasting needs at the earliest opportunity.

4

3) Information Sharing and Consent Your first step is always to speak to the child, young person or parent to understand their perspective and find out whether they would like some extra help. At this point you may need to get consent from them to record information about the family and to talk to other professionals. If your organisation doesn’t have its own consent form and privacy statement, you can use the pan-Dorset young person / parent forms. Always explain the consent form and privacy statement before asking family members to sign. If a family refuses consent, you should consider whether that raises any safeguarding concerns – if so, follow LSCB procedures.

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12) Closing the Plan Here are some examples of when a PEHA plan closes:

Closure will normally be agreed at a TAF meeting, and should involve the family. There is space on the bottom of the PEHA form to record changes achieved and successes, and to add notes on any further actions which are needed in order to sustain the improvements achieved.

You should normally re-use wheels at closure to help show the distance travelled through the course of the plan. Make sure you celebrate successes and achievements!

When the plan ends, you need to notify the MASH 01202 735046 / eha@poole.gov.uk - please give the date and provide copies of closure wheels plus the reason for closure:

x Needs met - plan successful

x Moved away x Other (please specify)

x Consent/co-operation withdrawn

x Case Escalated to Level 4

All actions on the plan are complete and a multi-agency

response is no longer required (a single-agency plan may continue

at Level 2: Universal Plus)

Consent is withdrawn

(consider whether this raises the level of risk or concern)

All Children/ Young People

in the family are over age 19

Child/YP has moved to another Local Authority (you may still need to hand over to a Lead Practitioner

in the new location – see section 11)

CYP Social Care allocate a Social Worker (Social Care assessment and review process takes over from EHA assessment; the Social Worker takes over as Lead)

36

When is a Lead Practitioner no longer required? Once the TAF agrees that there is no longer a need for a multi-agency Level 3 plan, the role of the Lead Practitioner ceases (see section 11 for closure reasons). Closure date and reason must be recorded on the plan and the MASH notified: 01202 735046 / eha@poole.gov.uk.

5

Reminder: the 7 golden rules of Information Sharing:

Remember that the Data Protection Act is not a barrier to sharing information but provides a framework to ensure that personal information about living persons is shared appropriately.

Be open and honest with the person (and/or their family where appropriate) from the outset about why, what, how and with whom information will, or could be shared, and seek their agreement, unless it is unsafe or inappropriate to do so.

Seek advice if you are in any doubt, without disclosing the identity of the person where possible.

Share with consent where appropriate and, where possible, respect the wishes of those who do not consent to share confidential information. You may still share information without consent if, in your judgement, that lack of consent can be overridden in the public interest. You will need to base your judgement on the facts of the case.

Consider safety and well-being: Base your information sharing decisions on considerations of the safety and well-being of the person and others who may be affected by their actions.

Necessary, proportionate, relevant, accurate, timely and secure: Ensure that the information you share is necessary for the purpose for which you are sharing it, is shared only with those people who need to have it, is accurate and up-to-date, is shared in a timely fashion, and is shared securely.

Keep a record of your decision and the reasons for it – whether it is to share information or not. If you decide to share, then record what you have shared, with whom and for what purpose.

6

4) Establish level of need and what support is already in place (screening)

Levels of need:

These terms are widely used and are explained in detail in the Bournemouth and Poole LSCB Levels of Need and Continuum of Support document See also the summary in section 13

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Do all siblings and adults in the family have the same Lead Practitioner? It will usually make sense for siblings to have the same Lead Practitioner who can co-ordinate the plan for the whole family, in exceptional circumstances, it may be more appropriate for different practitioners to act as Lead Practitioners for different family members. In this situation, the Lead Practitioners must keep in close contact, link up for TAF Meetings and work together to ensure the family plan is co-ordinated effectively. The same applies where any adult in the family has their own Lead or Key worker.

How long does the Lead Practitioner stay the same? The most appropriate person to undertake the role of Lead Practitioner may change as the needs of the child/young person change. Other reasons to change the Lead Practitioner might include change of address, staff changes, change of school/Early Years setting etc. If the new Lead doesn’t take over at a TAF meeting, there should still be a handover from one Lead to the next to ensure the plan remains on track. The current Lead Practitioner must always be recorded with the MASH: 01202 735046 / eha@poole.gov.uk. This process can’t be automated: there should always be a discussion when responsibility for a plan is handed over from one Lead to another – this is particularly crucial when they work for different organisations.

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Lead Practitioner FAQs

What if we can’t agree on who should be the Lead? Any conflict of opinion as to who should be the Lead Practitioner will be resolved by line managers of the practitioners involved within 4 working days of the proposal.

Is the Lead Practitioner responsible for services delivered by other agencies? The Lead is only responsible for monitoring the plan (plus their own actions) – not the actions of others – TAF members can only agree to actions within their remit and if any parts of the plan can’t be addressed by existing members of the TAF, the LP needs to consider what referrals or alternative actions might be required. Complaints and escalation policies may be used if necessary

Who is the Lead Practitioner in more complex Statutory/Specialist cases? For children or young people with needs at level 4, eg Child Protection, Youth Offending or high level mental health needs, specialist and statutory procedures apply. The most appropriate Lead Practitioner is very likely to be the Social Worker or CAMHS Worker who will have appropriate experience, skills and support in order to monitor and manage the higher level of risk in these cases. As far as possible, statutory planning meetings and reviews should be combined to minimise the number of meetings held.

7

Universal services are accessed by all children and young people regardless of level of need – these include GPs/Health Visitors, Schools/Early Years settings, Youth Services and Children’s Centres.

Universal Plus is where a Universal Service offers extra support. Families at this level of need should have a single-agency plan overseen by a professional working in a Universal Service. Screening may be helpful in identifying needs and developing a plan.

Partnership Plus is for families which need a multi-agency response – needs can’t be addressed by providing extra support within Universal Services and referral to targeted or specialist services is needed. Families at this level require a holistic Early Help Assessment and a multi-agency plan led by a named Lead Practitioner (from any agency) who co-ordinates a Team Around the Family to ensure actions are completed and needs are met.

Specialist/Statutory support is for families with high level, complex needs – these families are open to CYP Social Care, CAMHS Tier 4 and/or the Youth Offending Service. The Lead Practitioner will be a Social Worker – they will co-ordinate the multi-agency plan, arrange statutory visits and meetings and will be responsible for monitoring and managing identified risks.

Having gained consent to seek information from other professionals, make contact with those who can help you understand how well the family’s needs are currently being addressed and whether additional help might be needed.

8

Contact the MASH (01202 735046/eha@poole.gov.uk) to x Check if there is a Social Worker or any previous Social

Care involvement. x Check if there is a current or recent Early Help

Assessment Plan and a Lead Practitioner (LP). x Get advice on whether/how to use the PEHA

If there is already a Lead Practitioner, share your concerns with them and join the Team Around the Family (TAF). If having spoken to professionals currently/recently involved, you think more support is needed – or if you’re unsure of the level or type of need, you need to get a clearer picture of the situation using a holistic screening tool. In Poole we use the Wheels from the Poole Early Help Assessment (PEHA) for screening. Any professional in any agency can do this. You can also access free training on the use of the PEHA – check the CPD Online website for details.

There are two kinds of wheels – a blue one for children / young people and a yellow one for parents and carers. The headings around the wheels can be used as the basis for a discussion with a

family member to establish how things are going and help you agree where there is a

need for some extra help. Who to assess? Complete wheels for any family member(s) you are working with. Wheels for younger children will need to involve a parent/carer; where the child or young person has a sufficient level of understanding, it is vital to seek and include their views.

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Protocol for Allocation of a Lead Practitioner Where there is a need for a multi-agency plan, an Early Help Assessment will be carried out (or another holistic assessment will be in place) and a Lead Practitioner will be appointed. This will not necessarily be the person who completes the assessment.

The Assessment will show who is involved, what the needs are and therefore what referrals might be required

A Team Around the Family meeting may be the best forum for the discussion to determine who will be the Lead Practitioner. The decision to appoint the Lead Practitioner will depend on:

Any change of Lead Practitioner should be logged with the MASH: call 01202 735046 / eha@poole.gov.uk.

Which practitioner is best able to

develop a trusting relationship with family members to secure their

engagement and involvement in

the process

Who has the skills to

identify, work with and co-ordinate the

other practitioners

who are involved in the support

plan

Who has the time

and agreement

of their manager to carry out this

role

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11) Identify a Lead Practitioner One of the tasks of the Team around the Family is to agree who should be the Lead Practitioner: Lead Practitioner Purpose and Role:

Co-ordinate support where there is a multi-agency plan arising from an Early Help or other Holistic Assessment

Ensure that support is streamlined to reduce overlap and inconsistencies

Assessment. Ensure that children, young people and families have a single point of contact – this should be a professional they can trust and who will support them in making choices and navigating their way through the system Ensure the views of family members are sought and represented at meetings and in the plan

Ensure that children, young people and families get appropriate interventions through one overall plan with clearly identified outcomes which are effectively delivered and reviewed via the Team Around the Family (TAF) Process

9

How? Based on your conversation, you and the family member need to decide on a score between 1 and 10 for each heading to reflect the current situation. It is important to note strengths as well as needs and to ensure the family member’s voice comes through – particularly for children/ young people. If you disagree, there is space to record two different scores – give reasons in the box provided. The scores should reflect the impact (positive or negative) the issue is currently having on the family member

1-2: Critical and complex issues are having a serious negative impact on the child/young person / family’s wellbeing

3-4: Significant issues are having a negative impact on the child/young person / family’s wellbeing

5-6: Moderate issues are having some adverse impact

7-8: Minor issues - may sometimes need additional support but things are going OK in this area

9-10: No concerns - this is an area of strength

The following pages provide a brief guide to what you need to consider under each heading. You might want to add your own notes specific to your own client group. You MUST consider all areas – even those outside your area of expertise – the assessment should reflect all the strengths and needs across all headings.

10

Child/Young Person Wheel Headings:

Safety Å Concerns around neglect, maltreatment, violence (inc-

luding domestic violence/abuse) or sexual exploitation Å Effects of bullying (including online) or discrimination Å Risk of accidental injury or harm

Self Care and Living Skills Å Age appropriate personal hygiene, eating, dressing,

body changes Å Becoming independent as appropriate to age –

understanding of boundaries and rules Å Risk-taking behaviour and sexual health Å Asking for help and making decisions

Housing and Money Å Experiencing difficulties with debt / paying bills Å Claiming all benefits to which s/he is entitled Å Ability to maintain stable and appropriate

accommodation Å Impact of condition of home/overcrowding/family income

Social Networks and Relationships Å Appropriate relationships with family members Å Appropriate relationships with friends Å Appropriate relationships in the community and/or online

Drugs and Alcohol Å Explore use and impact of alcohol Å Explore use and impact of other drugs or medication Å Accessing appropriate services

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Suggested TAF Meeting Agenda

Agenda – TAF Meeting – Family Name – Date

x Welcome and introductions; agree chair / note taker x Purpose of the meeting and Ground Rules x Apologies / reports x Review notes from last meeting x Review all outstanding actions on the plan: what

progress has been made towards agreed changes? Which actions have been completed and which need chasing up (by whom)? What is working, and where are there difficulties, delays or queries? Update or add new actions if required – include due dates

x If the multi-agency plan is ongoing: - Agree date for next TAF meeting (and any other

meetings/appointments in the mean time) - Confirm or agree the Lead Practitioner

x If the multi-agency plan is complete: (note: there may still be outstanding actions at Level 2: Universal Plus)

- Confirm closure date and reason to be logged with the MASH: who will do this?

- Celebrate successes and progress made – use review wheels if appropriate.

- Ensure family members know who to contact if they need help with specific issues in future.

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What does the TAF do?

Designs and monitors a personalised package of support to address the

identified and unmet targeted needs in a multi-agency plan.

Multi-agency discussion or

meeting involving professionals and family members.

Agrees to and appoints an

ongoing Lead Practitioner, and any subsequent changes of Lead.

Practitioner.

Focus is on the needs and voluntary engagement of

the child or young person – it is done with the child, young person or family:

not done to them.

The initial TAF is arranged or convened by the practitioner

who has identified unmet needs that will require support/

interventions from more than one service (normally using an

Early Help Assessment). Subsequently the Lead

Practitioner is responsible.

If possible, and with

consent, the TAF should include any

professionals working with the adults in the family.

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Child/Young Person Wheel Headings:

Physical Health Å Impact of physical health or disability Å Age appropriate physical development Å Pregnancy Å Accessing appropriate health services (GP, Health

Visitor, Dentist, Hospital, School Nurse etc) Emotional/Mental Health

Å Impact of issues relating to emotional needs Å Issues relating to mental health Å Accessing appropriate mental health services

Behaviour Å Appropriate behaviour in school or pre-school Å Appropriate behaviour at home Å Appropriate behaviour in the community

Attending and engaging in Learning/Work & Positive Activities

Å Participating in learning, work and positive activities Å Motivation, aspirations for the future Å Accessing appropriate support

Learning and Development Å Ability to communicate appropriately Å Educational attainment as expected for age

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Parent/Carer Wheel Headings:

Safety Å Basic care – ensuring safety and protection (including

from domestic violence or abuse or sexual exploitation) Å Effects of bullying (including online) or discrimination Å Risk of accidental injury or harm

Self Care and Living Skills Å Asking for help and making decisions Å Risk-taking behaviour Å Accessing appropriate services

Housing and Money Å Engaged in education, employment / training Å Experiencing difficulties with debt / paying bills Å Claiming all benefits to which s/he is entitled Å Ability to maintain stable and appropriate

accommodation Social Networks and Relationships

Å Appropriate relationships with family members Å Appropriate relationships with friends Å Appropriate relationships in the community and/or online

Drugs and Alcohol Å Explore use and impact of alcohol Å Explore use and impact of other drugs or medication Å Accessing appropriate services

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10) Set up a Team Around the Family (TAF) The Team Around the Family (sometimes referred to as TAF or Team Around the Child) process begins at the point where a child or young person has been assessed and there are unmet needs requiring a multi-agency response (Level 3: Partnership Plus). If no current assessment is in place, an Early Help Assessment will be required.

In the course of completing the assessment, it is important to identify and communicate with professionals currently or recently working with the family. How this is done should be proportionate to the needs of the family and the number of workers involved. If only two workers are involved, a telephone conversation might be sufficient, but a more complex family might require a meeting if coming together would help to develop a shared understanding of the family’s needs – speak to your line manager if you are unsure.

x All families at Partnership Plus level 3 will need a TAF.

x The TAF process is based upon need and early intervention, and is therefore focused on children or young people before they reach the threshold for Social Care or other specialist interventions, however the principles also apply to those with higher levels of need.

x TAF is also required for families stepping down from a specialist service or those who have received an assessment from CYPSC, and who require a multi-agency response, but who do not meet CYPSC eligibility criteria.

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Reviewing Progress within three months: Make sure you set a review date for the plan. This must be within three months of the assessment date, and could be much sooner – this will depend on how urgent the actions are and how concerned you are about any risks you have identified. Each subsequent review should be within three months of the last one. A Team Around the Family (TAF) Meeting is often the most appropriate way to review progress.

When writing the plan, think about how easy it will be to review: how will you be able to tell if the interventions in place are working in a month or two’s time? How will the changes you are trying to achieve with the family be visible? What will they look like?

Action planning is difficult – this booklet and the Early Help training can give you useful pointers, but don’t be afraid to ask for help from your manager and colleagues – it gets easier with practice! A good plan should enable professionals and family members to focus clearly on what needs to change and how to get there – it should help to keep everyone on track and ensure the support in place is helping the family to achieve positive change.

13

Parent/Carer Wheel Headings:

Physical Health Å Impact of physical health or disability Å Pregnancy Å Accessing appropriate health services (GP, Health

Visitor, Dentist, Hospital etc) Emotional/Mental Health

Å Impact of issues relating to emotional needs Å Issues relating to mental health Å Accessing appropriate services

Behaviour Å Parent/Carer’s involvement in antisocial behaviour or

criminality as victim or perpetrator Å Parent/Carer engagement in local community

Attending and Engaging in Learning/Work & Positive Activities

Å Engagement in appropriate learning, employment and positive activities

Å Motivation, aspirations for the future Being a Parent

Å Emotional warmth and stability Å Providing guidance, boundaries, routines and stimulation Å Enabling Child/Young Person to access Learning or

Work

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PEHA Wheels: Hints and tips Support already in place: When agreeing the scores with a family member, consider support currently in place: a complex need which is already being addressed effectively should not lead to a low score: the score reflects the impact the issue is having and need for help.

Scoring isn’t standardised: The wheel provides a snapshot of the current situation and the scores aren’t scientific – the idea is to highlight the individual’s strengths and identify their areas of need.

Disagreements: If you can’t compromise and need to record two scores, explain the reason in the box provided.

What to write: Keep it short – use bullet-points, give examples to show the basis for your statement (eg Mum says . . . / I saw . . .). Always make a clear distinction between facts and opinions and make sure the family member’s voice comes through.

Running out of space: If filling the form in on screen, the text overflows into a continuation box on the next page for one line – if you need to type more, you can then click into the following line and type as much as you need to. If writing by hand, you can continue on a separate sheet if appropriate.

Heading isn’t relevant: Write ’no concerns’ in the box and agree a high score; if the area wasn’t discussed, make a note of the reason and consider getting advice on whether this should give cause for concern: speak to your manager, discuss with a colleague with specialist knowledge in another service or find another expert.

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How to make your plans SMARTer Specific: vague aspirations like ‘Jay and Kay to improve their relationship’ are difficult to achieve and it is hard to tell whether or not they have

happened. How will you know things have improved? Maybe they will play video games together

without arguing or go shopping together for school shoes?

Measurable: Look for something you can measure which will demonstrate the change you want to achieve – how many times a week/month should it happen, is there a reward chart that will show whether or not good behaviour is being achieved/sustained?

Achievable: You need to use your professional judgement to decide how much detail is appropriate for each plan - if steps are too big or overwhelming for the family, you risk setting up the plan to fail.

Realistic: Think carefully about balancing what is desirable in the long term against realistic, attainable goals. A family may want to move to a bigger house with a garden, and this may be achievable in the longer term, however the plan may need to focus on addressing barriers which currently make this objective difficult to achieve.

Time-limited: set a date for all actions – vague ‘asap’ or ‘ongoing’ actions are probably not sufficiently specific, and will tend to drift without getting completed!

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9) Action planning The purpose of the PEHA or other holistic assessment is to develop a plan to address the needs you and the family have identified. The plan is the most important part of the document.

The plan starts with the Assessor and the family and will expand as other services become involved and take on tasks to support family members. When writing the initial plan with the family, you need to consider how much detail is appropriate:

A family with lots of complex needs may need a plan which aims to tackle more straightforward tasks relating to the most urgent issues first before moving on to knottier problems at a later stage. It can be unhelpful to write a long, detailed plan right at the beginning which looks overwhelming and unachievable. Some actions might need to be added later, once you have made contact with other services, made referrals etc.

The key to an effective plan is to focus on what needs to change and how to get there – remembering that this may take several small steps or one big one. Think carefully about the outcomes you and the family want to see – this is how you will be able to tell whether the plan is working. Each outcome will have one or more actions associated with it – and more actions can be added later as the plan progresses.

Be SMART:

Specific Measurable Achievable Realistic Time-limited

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Strengths/Needs that fit under more than one heading: it’s important that you record the need, less important where it goes: place it under the heading where it has the most impact, or where you and the family feel it is most appropriate. It’s fine to add it under more than one heading if this helps to show the impact it is having.

Using the wheels electronically: you can circle the numbers on the wheels electronically if you wish: place your cursor next to the appropriate number, and change the colour of the border or fill. Alternatively, highlight the number and change the font colour.

Using the wheels to review distance travelled: you can re-use the wheels with family members to understand what progress has been made and identify areas where further work is needed.

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What happens next? The wheel will give you a snapshot of areas of strength and need for each family member assessed - if any low scores give you cause for concern, you need to work out what the appropriate course of action is: Is there a safeguarding concern?

Contact the MASH (see back page) and follow LSCB procedures. If you’re not sure, speak to your line manager.

Can you or someone else in your organisation offer appropriate support?

If so, make a plan and offer support. You can re-use the wheels later to see how things are going.

Is the family accessing all the universal services and activities available to them?

Make use of the Family Information Directory (FID) to find appropriate activities, services, support groups etc.

Do you need more information about the family’s needs? Is there a need for a multi-agency response? (i.e. is this a Level 3 Partnership Plus case?)

An Early Help Assessment is needed: work out who is best placed to complete an Assessment - this will build on the information you have collected using the wheels to analyse the whole family’s needs and develop a multi-agency plan. Section 6 of his booklet contains guidance on using the PEHA.

Is there a need for support from other services?

Use FID / speak to the MASH or other Specialist/Targeted Service(s) and make referrals as appropriate

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8) Identify other services which can help, and seek expert advice

Once the assessment is complete, consider which other services might be needed. Make contact with services to discuss the case prior to making a referral. All Specialist and Targeted Services in Poole encourage practitioners to discuss the specific needs identified in the assessment and help identify the best course of action – even if a referral isn’t appropriate, you can get valuable advice on managing a particular need and indicators of increased risk.

Use the Family Information Directory (FID) to search for activities and services which might help address the needs you have identified. The directory lists all sorts of services from small support groups run by parents to teams run by large public sector organisations. It also lists some national support groups and helplines which families may find useful. It is easy to search – you can look for a type of service or a need you’ve identified.

Speak to the MASH (01202 735046) to get advice on local services, eligibility criteria, contact details and referral processes

Some services may consider sending a representative to a Team Around the Family meeting to ascertain whether there is a role for them.

Wherever possible, share a copy of the Assessment with other professionals – this will give them a picture of who is in the family and what the needs are. This also means the family doesn’t need to repeat their story to every new professional.

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Check � Notes/Hints

Summary of Information from

Professionals �

Perspective of workers currently or recently involved with the family – include school/early years setting/ health visitor plus any others consulted

Analysis of Strengths / protective factors �

What is going well or heading in the right direction for the family?

Analysis of Needs and Risks �

Where is extra help needed? Consider carefully any risks identified – who is managing them and how? Are things getting better or worse? What might happen if things do/don’t change? Seek advice if unsure

Plan

Action Plan Started �

On completing the PEHA there are immediate actions for you + the family. Don’t include actions or deadlines for other services until they have agreed to them, and don’t promise services you are not able to deliver. See section 9 for more on action planning.

Is the plan SMART? �

Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic & Time-Limited (see section 9)

Has the family signed up to confirm they

agree with the assessment and plan, and for the content to

be shared? �

Everyone involved in the plan needs to sign the back page. Older children/ young people with sufficient understanding can sign for themselves. Family members must receive a copy of their completed PEHA and plan

Have you registered the PEHA with the

MASH? �

All PEHAs must be sent to the MASH: eha@poole.gov.uk to be registered.

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5) Assess needs An Early Help Assessment is required if: Å A family has needs which can’t be addressed within your

service, and a multi-agency plan will be required Å A family has needs which are unclear Å There is no existing Early Help or Social Care

assessment and plan in place (check with the MASH). How? There are various Early Help Assessment tools in use locally and nationally. In Poole, the standard tool is the Poole Early Help Assessment or PEHA. If another assessment has been completed in the past 6-12 months (eg a CAF from another Local Authority or a Social Care Assessment), there is usually no need to re-assess.

If there is a plan which has closed in the past year, review it and decide whether to work from the existing plan or start a

new assessment. If starting a new PEHA, you should re-use information from the previous assessment where appropriate

Avoiding Duplication

Each Local Authority keeps a register of Early Help Assessments and Lead Practitioners – in Poole this is held by the MASH: 01202 735046 or e-mail eha@poole.gov.uk

The MASH can check for existing assessments and provide you with copies, and you must send them a copy of your completed assessments so they can be registered. You must also notify us when a plan closes (please also provide closure wheels if available)

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What makes a good assessment?

High Quality Assessments: Å are child centred. Where there is a conflict of interest,

decisions should be made in the child's best interests Å are rooted in child development and informed by

evidence Å are focused on action and outcomes for children Å are holistic in approach, addressing the child's needs

within their family and wider community Å ensure equality of opportunity Å involve children and families Å build on strengths as well as identifying difficulties Å are integrated in approach Å are a continuing process not an event Å lead to action, including the provision and review of

services; and are transparent and open to challenge (taken from Working Together 2013)

How long should it take? Depending on the size of the family and the nature of their needs, you should normally be able to complete a PEHA after one or two home visits / meetings with family members plus conversations with other practitioners supporting the family. Remember that the level of detail you record should reflect the complexity of the family. The point of the assessment is to create a plan to help the family, so it is important not to get bogged down in the assessment stage – the plan can be updated to reflect new needs which emerge or are identified as the plan progresses.

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Check � Notes/Hints Wheels See Section 4 for more info on wheels

Wheels completed for each person �

Where possible, complete wheels for all those who need to be involved in the plan. If someone is unavailable, absent or unwilling to participate, this should not prevent you from completing the PEHA with the rest of the family

Names are recorded on each wheel �

Always record whose wheel it is, add parent/carer if they agreed scores, and always record your own name as assessor

Record whether the child was seen �

On ALL child/yp wheels, please indicate if child was seen or not (delete yes/no)

Scores and notes under each heading �

Score ALL headings. If an area is not relevant (eg drugs and alcohol for a young child) give a high score and write ‘not applicable’. If a heading was not discussed, record the reason Ensure the family member’s experience is reflected in the wheel – especially for children/young people

Differences of opinion explained �

There is space on the wheels for the assessor and family member to choose different scores – add a note in the box to explain any differences

Summary/Analysis

Summary of Information from

Family �

Draw together information from all the wheels – identify key themes, issues and concerns from the family’s perspective

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Check � Notes/Hints

Special Needs/ Requirements for all those involved in the

PEHA/Plan �

Is an interpreter required? Are there any access, religious or other consid-erations when arranging meetings involving the family, contacting them by phone or text or visiting the home?

Tick those who have a wheel �

Including wheels completed by other professionals

Presenting Issues �

Always include your view, plus the views of family/household members: what has prompted the assessment? Has something changed or has there been a gradual build-up? What are you/ the family most concerned about?

Your name and contact details �

Don’t forget to include your own details as assessor! The completed assessment is a sharable document – it should be clear who completed it and how to contact you

List other professionals �

Name, job title, phone & e-mail for all workers; note which family member(s) they work with (eg Whole family / Mum / two older children / etc) Don’t forget universal services such as Health Visitor, GP, School/ Pre-school staff and youth workers.

Use tick-boxes �

Indicate who is Lead Practitioner; who is currently involved; who was consulted for this PEHA; and who holds a specialist assessment. NOTE: if there is a specialist assessment, attach and refer to it in the PEHA: don’t duplicate!

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6) Guide to using the PEHA Overview The PEHA paperwork can be used flexibly - section 4 of this guide shows how to use the wheels as a screening tool to establish level of need. You should use whichever sections are relevant and you should record a level of detail proportionate to the needs of the family. All paperwork can be downloaded from the Borough of Poole website – search for Early Help There are three sections:

Front sheet lists who is in the family, and who is working

with them

Wheels identify strengths and needs for each family member

Summary/Analysis and Plan draws together information from

the family and professionals to identify strengths, needs and risks and then develop a plan

with signed consent from family members

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7) PEHA Checklist When completing the PEHA, keep in mind two key audiences: the family and any new practitioner working with the family for the first time. A key function of the PEHA is to provide a sharable record of the family circumstances so they don’t have to repeat their story to each new practitioner. As you are writing, think: ‘will members of the family (including children/ young people) agree this is a fair description of their situation?’ and ‘would a stranger get an accurate view of the family situation by reading this?’ Always think about how much detail is appropriate – don’t write more than you need to On the following pages is a checklist for you to use to make sure you have completed each section with the appropriate information . . .

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Check � Notes/Hints Front Sheet

ID and Main Address �

ID can be a system ID number, family name(s) or primary client name. The main address should be where family member(s) you are supporting live.

Assessment Date � Vital but often forgotten!

List ALL members of the household / other

significant persons �

For large/complex families, you might find it helpful to draw a family tree before completing this section

Name, Gender and Position in Family for all family/ household

members: Is it clear who is a parent, who is

a child, who lives in/ outside the home? �

Include AKA / previous names. Gender is self-defined. Position in family examples: ‘Mum to Jay and Kay, stepmum to Elle’; ‘Em’s ex partner’, ‘Em’s sister: Jay and Kay’s Auntie’, ‘Neighbour – collects Kay & Elle from school daily’

Date of Birth (or Estimated Delivery

Date) for ALL c/yp unborn to 19 �

This is crucial identifying information for children/ young people. Provide an Estimated Delivery Date for unborn children

Contact details for all significant persons

including at least one parent/carer �

Ensure individuals are happy to be contacted via the details provided; note any preferred contact method. Include addresses for those outside household

Early Years Setting or School for all

children/young people aged 0-19 �

Always record school / early years provider. Note if child is not attending a school/EY setting or is home educated. YP may attend college, be in employment or NEET. Add employment status of parents/ carers/ other adults if known