The Child Action Model The context for change in children’s services Developing integrated...
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Transcript of The Child Action Model The context for change in children’s services Developing integrated...
The Child Action Model
• The context for change in children’s services
• Developing integrated services in Gloucestershire
• The concepts behind the model
• Outline of model and how it works
• Questions
Children’s Services – The Context for Change
• Children Act 1989 – ‘Every authority has a general duty to safeguard and promote the welfare of
children in need…. By providing a range and level of services appropriate to those needs’ Section 17
‘Every local authority shall take…steps to identify the extent to which there are children in need within their area’ Schedule 2
‘Where it appears to a local authority that any authority or person could…help in the exercise of any of their functions…they may request the help of that authority or person……and…’an authority whose help is so requested shall comply with the request’ Section 27
What Happened?• Focus on safeguarding rather than promoting
welfare
• Messages from Research – too many children caught in the CP net
‘160,000 children & families a year …drawn into CP process…..but only 25,000 registered’
….and too much focus on abuse at expense of general needs –
‘in over half of (CP) cases, families receive no services at all following investigation’ Messages from research
This led to………• Focus on prevention, earlier intervention and integration of services
• Recognition that children’s needs cut across agencies –Sure Start, YOS, Connexions
• National Assessment Framework ‘effective collaboration requires a common language to understand the needs of children and a joint commitment to improving outcomes’
This led to …….
• Climbie Enquiry – 12 chances to save her life over 10 months
• IRT - system to facilitate information sharing across agencies
• Green Paper – Every Child Matters
• Children Bill
Gloucestershire’s Response
• CYPSP – all heads of service, chaired by County Council CEO
• IRT project initiated
• Development of common language assessment model
• Child Action Model\Child Action Project
Child Action Model
• Continuum of need
Low level needs -likely impairment
High level needs - significant impairment
Complex needs - impairment
Child Action Model
• Thresholds
Low level needs - likely impairment
Complex needs -actual impairment
High level needs - significant impairment
ThresholdT
hres
hold
Continuum of Need
• Services
Child Action Model
Low level needs - likely impairment
Complex needs - impairment
High level needs- significant impairment
Continuum of NeedThreshold T
hres
hold
Multi Agency
SSDSingle
Agency
Child Action Project- putting theory into practice
• Staff funded by SSD & Children’s Fund
• Based in schools
• Point of contact for school staff
• Assess needs by using common language assessment tool
• Identify community resources
• Coordinate services and/or signpost
Child Action Model
Low level needs - likely impairment
Complex needs - impairment
High level needs - significant impairment
Continuum of NeedThreshold T
hres
hold
Single Agency
Multi Agency
SSD
Child Action Project
• Provide a catalyst and example of how integrated services can work in practice
• Plan to extend project to all communities and localities
• Once established, aim to withdraw Child Action staff
Child Action Model - the Bolton system
Initial identification of concerns by agency
IRT
Completion of common language assessment – Needs, Threshold,Outcome, Service
Level of Need\Threshold
Low level Complex High level
Single Agency Multi -Agency SSD
Monitoring and Review
SERVICE PROVISION
Summary
• Long recognised that services intervene too little and too late
• Recognition that children’s needs cut across agency boundaries and integrated approach needed
• Child Action Project is vehicle for ‘kick starting’ integrated services across all localities
Summary- Key Elements
• Agency that identifies concern carries out assessment
• Key Worker
• Single agency or Joint commissioning of services
• Services ‘wrap’ around child - child is at the centre
Questions