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Short Breaks Scheme Kingston Upon Hull Children and Young People’s Services
Area Manager – Isabelle BoddyTeam Manager – Lynsey FowkesFamily Placement Officer – Pam JohnsonFoster Carer – Sue Burnett
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Prevention services in Hull
Area Manager
Central Duty TeamMarlborough
Family Support Team
SET Team Short Breaks
1 X Child Care Manager5 X Senior care Officers8 X Care Officers
4 X Team Managers2 X Grade 3 Social Worker13 X Social Workers6 Family Support Worker
1 X Manager4 X Social Workers
0-5 years Team2x snr care officers
4 x care officers
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Team Structure
• One Area Manager
• One Team Manager
• Four Family Placement Officers (one part time, one works four days per week)
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Kingston-Upon-Hull• Unitary authority.• Population 250,000, including 64,000 children and young people. • History of deprivation:
– high benefit uptake– low employment– poor housing– high teenage pregnancy– social problems.
• Multiple social housing estates surrounding the city.• In 2001, 37% of those aged under 16 were in income-deprived
households. • 20% of year 11 pupils not in education. • Approx. 600 Looked After Children and Young People.• 210 children subject to child protection plans.• Isolated city with large stable family networks within it. • Strong culture of family and friends placements within the city - 238
family and friends fostering households.
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Background of the Short Breaks Team
• Part of the wider Prevention Services rather than Fostering Services. • Preventative and proactive support focus.• Started in 1998 as a smaller family support service. • Early referrals were very much family support and not child protection.• Short breaks are both emergency or planned.• Many emergency placements then extend to become planned placements. • Assistance for families with a wide range of issues including:
– parental illness– family dysfunction– families in stress and crisis– children with behavioural and emotional difficulties– abused or neglected children.
• Section 47 investigations (CA89).• The scheme has grown and evolved:
– children in need of protection– children subject to child protection plans– public law outlines.
• Support is often high end with higher risk families.
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Multi Agency Working
• Team works with other prevention services• Children and families have multi service
involvement.• Marlborough Family Support Service
– Four bed residential home– Outreach services – Respite for families in crisis – Short Breaks.
• Family and Friends Team.• Fostering Duty Team, Central Duty Team and
Emergency Duty Team.• Emergency Carers.
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A few facts and figures
• Carer Population:• Number of active approved carers: 40• Number of ongoing assessments: 15• Number of carers who are emergency only: 1• Number of carers who are planned only: 4• Number of carers who are planned and emergency: 35
• Children and Placements:• 22nd January 2009 to 22nd January 2010• Total number of referrals of to the scheme: 266• Total number of children (emergency and planned) placed with carers: 203• Number of emergency placements for children: 118• Number of planned placements for children: 85• Total number of children receiving planned short breaks at this time: 116• Highest number of children allocated to a short break carer on a planned
basis: 10
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The child’s perspective and situation
• Situations where children are in family and friends placements.
• Families where parents have mental health issues or ill health, inc terminal illnesses.
• Families where parents are using alcohol and drugs.• Situations where children are subject to child protection
and /or neglect concerns, and may have child protection plans.
• Families where they are experiencing dysfunction such as volatile family situations and arguments.
• Children and young people displaying volatile and severe behaviours.
• Large families in generalised crisis and management issues.
• Families experiencing adoption breakdowns.
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Benefits for childrenVoluntary arrangements albeit under duress at times.• Full introductions if planned. • Less split loyalties for children and guilt or worries for parents/carers.• Matching children and carers.• New experiences, opportunities and a “snapshot” of “normal” family life.• Opportunities to:
– BE LISTENED TO,– different family routines,– go places– have basic needs met such as being clean, being praised, being cared for– have boundaries.
• Positive relationships and enduring attachments.• Safe place to be, and opportunity to express themselves.• Time to be a child ie not being a carer.• Different family life and aspirations, and this can have a strong motivating
factor for choices around their future, schooling and just what is possible.• FUN + POSITIVE MEMORIES = SELF ESTEEM.
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What children think
• “I have a short break because “of my mam drinking and the arguing…it gets me away from home a bit..I love lots of other fun things we do which I never do at home…I love it Sue never gets drunk and I really enjoy going there” (Terry 11yrs).
• “It gives me and my nana a break from each other...Sue helps me with education…she gives me praise…I no I can talk to Sue and she listens…I love her and I know she loves me…I’ve also been camping and ..I really enjoyed that I carnet see Sue or Paul not been in my life” (Nik 16yrs, length of SB is 5 years).
• “Sometimes things get a little too much at home…I feel I have someone to talk to who listens to me and understands which really helps” (Jamie 15yrs).
• “We go places, break for me and nice and relaxing and a change of secenory, nothing I don’t like...it gives my dad a break” (Jordan 14yrs).
• Children rated their short break as between 9/10 out of 10.
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Conclusions• Evolution and change over the last twelve years.• Needs led - lines and approvals “blur” at times – look at Sue!• Dramatic shifts in cases and types of placements.• Preventative approach.• No specific time limit but regular reviews.• Team of skilled, motivated and flexible carers. • Support to carers established to enable them to support children:
– leisure service passes– Foscars– Max card passes – regular support and supervision– carers’ evenings.
• We are proud of our committed carers who are supported by a small but close knit number of family placement officers. We are all working together to offer support care for those children and families who need it whatever their difficulties.
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Moving forward
• Closer working with the Disability Team.
• ‘Carers’ profiles’.
• Short breaks carers’ consultation group.
• CWDC.
• Possible extra staff.