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Every Child Matters

Devon’s ApproachTim Leishman

Axs Programme Manager

29th June 2007

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Childrens Trust partnership

Shared Priorities• Devon County

Council• Health• Police• Connexions• Probation• District Councils• Schools• Voluntary sector

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What we are doing in Devon

• AXS – ‘text speak’ for Access is the Devon Children’s Trust programme to implement the Every Child Matters agenda

• Our Priority through integrated working– Early identification of need– Early intervention and prevention– Family based decision making

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What things will look like in the future – operational processes

Information Sharing Obtaining consent and sharing information and appropriate information are the modus operandi across all services and agencies.

Common Assessment Framework

Holistic assessment of the need of a child or young person is standard practice for all practitioners, using the CAF as the whole or initial part of the assessment.

Lead Professionals / BHLP

Appointment of a LP for a child or young person requiring co-ordinated services across agencies is standard practice across the local area.

AXS Pathway(common model of children’s services

Common language, standards and processes have developed and are in use across all services and agencies throughout the local area, based on the common model of children’s needs and services.

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Our challenges

• Massive cultural shift for organisations involved in delivering services to children, Young People and Families.

• Partners organisational structures• 20,000 strong workforce to re-educate• Ensuring the ‘safety’ of the child, young

person and family during transition to new integrated working model.

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Improving outcomes for children and families

• Access to services not previously available, and a wider range of services

• Easier or quicker access to services or expertise

• Improved educational attainment and better engagement in education

• Early identification and intervention• Better support for parents• Children's needs addressed more

appropriately• Better quality services• Reduced need for more specialist services

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Benefits for staff and services

• Less replication between different service providers

• Better links between service providers, including a greater understanding of their practices

• Improved awareness of different services and changed public perceptions of service providers

• Liberation from narrow bureaucratic and cultural restraints of their parent organisation

• Share experience and learn from others• Professional development and career progression

opportunities, improvement in staff recruitment, retention and workloads

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Children’s Trust in Action

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Pathfinding the best fit for DevonTesting out tools and processes in a controlled manner across 9 Local learning communities across the county. • Live CAFs piloting from June to December 2007.•Over 250 multi agency staff trained• Structured Evaluation to measure outcomes.

TOOLS INCLUDE:• Information Sharing Protocol*• Common Assessment Framework process and paperwork*• Lead Professional*• Budget Holding Lead Professional• Multi Agency Thresholds• Children’s Service Directory*

*Statutory

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Early Wins

• Budget Holding Lead Professional– Devon is piloting whether better service

packages for core groups of children, young people and families can be delivered by giving Lead Professionals a budget with which to quickly procure goods and commission services directly from providers.

– Funding is being ‘pump primed’ from the DfES.

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BHLP Case Studies 1Family structure Mother with second partner, 4 children,

9,8,7,4, and mother expecting

Child(ren) who is/are subject(s) of the referral

9 year old boy, acts as carer for siblings

What was the situation before the work was undertaken? This should tell the reader what the situation was before a course of action was taken.

9, year old boy always very late for school, arriving with siblings, School would like to see him join breakfast club and arrive on time for school.

What was the intervention and what led to the action?

Alarm clock bought through BHLP resources to begin to address time keeping at a cost of £4.99

Who was involved in the intervention (e.g. professionals –including details of sector – parents, child/yp)

CASP (Children Activity Support Programme)community worker – children/cpSchool

What action was taken to address identified needs?

Discussion, between school, children and mother.

Who was affected by the action? 9 year old boy

How have things changed for the child/young person? (Where possible, in their words)

I can wake up, and get ready on time now

How have things changed for the family? (Where possible, in their words)

Knowledge that there is a contact point where possible help can be given. On going conversations taking place. School looking to fund breakfast club for 2 days a week.

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BHLP Case Studies 2 ../cont

Family structure Parents/carers of children who have been identified as having additional needs and require transition support.

Child(ren) who is/are subject(s) of the referral

75 Year 6 children from across a North Devon Learning area.

What was the situation before the work was undertaken? This should tell the reader what the situation was before a course of action was taken.

Before the AXS Transition Programme was put in place the CYP/F felt very concerned and isolated during the transition process. The parents/carers were not confident about coming up to the secondary school (some because they had not had a good experience when they attended the school, others because they had only come up to attend meetings when their children had been in trouble). The children were worried about the size of the school, who they could go to for help with their problems and if they were going to get help with their reading and writing.

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./cont BHLP Case Studies 2What was the intervention and what led to the action?

As part of the AXS Transition Programme a ‘Supporting Parents through Transition’ evening was held at the college, for the identified CYP/F. This was attended by key personnel from the school – Pastoral Deputy, SENCo, Yr 7 Lead, School Nurse, Education Welfare Officer, School Youth Worker, and Family Worker. Transport from outlying areas was available as were refreshments. Each professional present introduced themselves to the CYP/F and then the children and adults were able to speak to the appropriate practitioner who could give them the time they needed to feel listened to and that the children would be able to access the appropriate support.

What additional needs were identified by CAF (or other) assessment?

All students were identified for this intervention through the ‘Life Pie’ as the CAF was not in place at the point of targeting groups of students. These pupils did not score themselves highly on the questions ‘Do you feel good about who you are?’ and ‘Do you have a good effect on other people?’. The Social and emotional support had also been identified by the Year 6 teachers in the junior schools.

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./cont BHLP Case Studies 2

What action was taken to address identified needs?

As part of a package of support offered by the AXS Transition Support Programme the parents/carers were invited to a ‘Supporting Parents through Transition’ meeting where representatives from the agencies and the school were available to talk to the parents/carers and the young people.

Who was affected by the action? Parents/carers of 49 of the identified pupils attended this meeting and their children.

How have things changed for the child/young person? (Where possible, in their words)

‘I don’t feel as scared about coming to arts college’‘it’s good to know who I can go to for help’‘I’m glad I’m not the only one who feels worried’

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./cont BHLP Case Studies 2

How have things changed for the family? (Where possible, in their words?

‘We feel more confident that our child will get the support they need’‘Now we know about what happens here we can help our child more’‘I feel more relaxed about sending my child here’‘Its good to talk to other parents who have the same issues.’

What difference (added value) did having a budget make to the action taken and the outcomes for the child/young person?

This is only one aspect of the AXS Transition Programme, the ability to have quick access to money that could enable and encourage parents to attend (through the provision of transport and refreshments) a crucial meeting meant that all parties were prepared to engage more effectively with the programme.

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REMINDER...Children’s Trust in Action