Children & Young People’s Strategic Partnership

Gloucestershire Child Action Model

Overview and Local Preventative Strategy

Kathy O’Mahony

• To inform and engage key staff about the objectives and the wider context of the Child Action Project

• To clarify what the Child Action Model is

• To clarify how we hope to implement the model through the ISA project and point out the implications for staff in your agency

• To explore the emerging Gloucestershire Child Action Model and clarify how it’s implementation will meet the needs of vulnerable children

• To consider progress to date and how the Common Language assessment framework supports the model

Child Action Project

• What’s it got to do with me?

• Who is saying this should happen & why?

• What’s the added value to what we already do?

What Are The Key Questions?

Drivers

• Green Paper - ECM

• ECM - Next Steps

• National Service Framework

• SEN National Strategy

• Local Agenda – CYPSP / Preventative Strategy

What Are They Saying?

• Outcome focus• Prevention / early identification• Co-ordination / integration• Family / parent support• Accountability• Common skills / processes / working

together to share information / knowledge

Aims for Young People

The 7 C&YPSP Outcomes –• Infants & children thrive and meet key developmental

milestones• Children are prepared for school• Children succeed in school• Children grow up healthy and choose healthy lifestyles• Children grow up in safe and supportive families,

family settings and local communities• Young people grow up to be successful adults• Children & young people are included in mainstream

services and contribute to shaping the services

Locally – What And How

• Outcomes• Preventative strategy• How: Processes; early intervention

(incrementally); support to families / children; rationalising differences; developing a common cause, processes & shared objectives across agencies

• Best Value Review of services for Vulnerable Children

• Specific Initiatives

What Does This Mean For Us?

• Radical period of change• Complex agendas• Complex range of activities across agencies• Local progress• Role of ISA / CAM / Common Processes• Critical role of above in overall delivery of

agenda for Gloucestershire (along with other developments)

• Which Children are we concerned about.

· Encompasses vulnerable children, children in need, children at risk etc.

Children In Gloucestershire

Offending &behavioural

problems

Abuse&

neglect

Poor mentalphysical &

sexual health

Poormaterial

conditions

Educationalunder-

achievement

ALL CHILDREN (125,800)VULNERABLE CHILDREN (45,000)

CHILDREN IN NEED (4,375)

LOOKED-AFTER CHILDREN (470)CHILDREN ON CPR (130)

How Does the Child Action Model Fit in?

• This provides the Infrastructure for agencies to assess the needs of vulnerable children, plan interventions and review effectiveness

• Children are assessed using the Common Language assessment framework

• Supported by ISA, and implemented through the ISA Professional Practices work stream and the Child Action Project

Child Action Model

SSD Response

Joint Agency Response

Single Agency Response

Child Action Project

Role of Project Workers -To implement the Child Action Model in Schools:

Oxstalls Community School New Schools:

Archway Coney Hill

Cam House Tredworth

Coln House Sandford

Hesters Way Primary

Forest View Primary

Cashes Green Primary

Innsworth Junior

Child Action Project

Assessing, using common language assessment tools the needs of children in school who have been identified as having some emerging problems that are not purely educational

Identifying community resources which will meet the needs identified

Developing Child Action Plans to meet assessed needs

Monitoring and reviewing children’s progress

Engaging other agencies and professionals in the use and application of the Child Action Model and Common Assessment tools

Providing information based on their assessments of need to local agencies and groups to assist in shaping service provision in the locality of the school

Working to implement the Common Language assessment framework & the Child Action Model in schools

Child Action Project - How are we doing

it?

How do we include the Early Years age group and children with disabilities?

Classification of categories of need is being developed through the ISA Professional Practices Group.

Clarification of thresholds and moving between the levels of model are being developed by the Professional Practices Group.

Service Directory being developed through ISA, with the support of the Child Action Project

Consultation between staff groups and the acknowledgement of a keyworker role is crucial for the model to succeed (as identified in Every Child Matters)

Steering group for the project and locality groups to be established.

Common Language Assessment & case management tools are being implemented across the agencies

Child Action Model - Work in Progress

Vision for the Future

• Aspirations– Cross county provision– Consistent access to provision for

vulnerable children– Clear thresholds– Co-ordination with voluntary and statutory

agencies– Locally owned and developed

Football team

Youth Club

Dropped out

Extreme behaviour

Parents contacted - angry

Stops attending Youth Club

School

Performance drops

Parents contacted - feel angry ground him

Breaks into carYOS

Assessment and Cautioned

Parents angry and embarrassed do not contact school

Stealing, drug misuse and more driving offences

Assessment and community sentence

Parents despair – contact social services requesting accommodation

Gets into trouble

After school homework club

Difficult behaviourParents contacted - feel angry and upset

Youthservice School

Parents

Afterschoolclub

YOS

Joe

Common Language Assessment - by Worker who identifies need

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Questions

Common Language Presentation

• Why a common language is necessary• National Assessment Framework• Gloucestershire’s response• How the assessment model works and

complements the Child Action Model - case study

• How the model has been implemented so far• Summary• Questions

Common Language & Assessment

References in Government guidance -

• Guidance to Children Act 1989

• National Assessment Framework: “Effective collaboration requires a common language to understand the needs of children…”

• Every Child Matters - Next Steps: “A common assessment framework should help to identify... needs earlier and avoid duplication between agencies

Why Is It Necessary?

• Professionals from different agencies often use the same terms to describe different things

• Each agency uses different assessment tools

• Families often subjected to multiple assessments by different professionals

• Intrusive, stigmatising, confusing, costly and inconsistent

What Happened?

• Introduction of National Assessment Framework 2000

• Research indicates that while it is good at gathering information it offers little guidance regarding analysis

Gloucestershire’s Response

• Development of common language assessment model that:

a) incorporates NAF

b) provides tool for analysis of information gathered

The Assessment Process Using The

Common Language Model• Gather information - NAF• Identify needs - relating to child rather than

services• Make a judgement about the level of need -

apply a threshold• Specify realistic outcomes to be achieved• Identify appropriate services to meet needs

and outcomes specified

How Does It Complement The CAM?

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

How Does It Work?

CIRCUMSTANCES NEEDS THRESHOLD OUTCOMES SERVICES

LIVING SITUATION

FAMILY & SOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS

SOCIAL & ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR

PHYSICAL & PSYCHOLOGICAL HEALTH

EDUCATION & EMPLOYMENT

Implementation

• Training in CL assessment model has been provided to:

– all social services fieldwork staff – Child Action Project staff– Health Visitors– School Nurses– EWOs– Reintegration staff

Summary

• Common language is essential for integrated working

• National Assessment Framework - good on information gathering but poor on analysis

• Common language assessment model incorporates NAF and provides analysis tool

• Compatible with and complements Child Action Model

• Multi-agency training provided to some agencies - but wider training strategy required

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Questions

DfES –

A sophisticated human and technology system that encompasses:

· A universal local authority child information hub

· An underpinning service and information network

· Improvements in local case management systems

C&YPSP –

A wide-ranging project to promote better information sharing across agencies and support the Local Preventative Strategy in improving the outcomes of children in Gloucestershire

WHAT IS ISA?

· All children between 0 - 18.

· Encompasses vulnerable children, children in need, children at risk etc.

ISA SCOPE

Offending &behavioural

problems

Abuse&

neglect

Poor mentalphysical &

sexual health

Poormaterial

conditions

Educationalunder-

achievement

ALL CHILDREN (125,800)VULNERABLE CHILDREN (45,000)

CHILDREN IN NEED (4,375)

LOOKED-AFTER CHILDREN (470)CHILDREN ON CPR (130)

WITH AN ISA SERVICE NETWORK:

REFERRALS

Police

CAMHS

Signal referral

Possible notification of SSD referral

SSD expression of interest in police involvement

SCHOOL

Social Services

Notification of police involvement

Connexions

Health

Education

Expression of interest in police involvement

Expression of interest from other agencies not previously involved

ISA NETWORK

Expression of interest in SSD referral

Signal referral

Possible signal involvement

Possible notification of CAMHS & SSD referral

WITH AN ISA SERVICE NETWORK:

SERVICE DELIVERY

ISAnetwork

YOT

HousingPolice

Social careVoluntarysector

Ed PsyCAMHSHealth

Education Connexions

From birth

From age 3/4

From age 13

From involvement

. .

ISA service network - constantly sharing information

PRODUCTS:

• Audit of current practice & systems

• Agreed CAM / CAF policy

• CAM / CAF implementation programme – June 2004

PROF. PRACTICES

PRODUCTS:

• Caldicott Guardian legal framework

• Information sharing agreement

• User Guide

• Data Protection policy statement

• Privacy statement

• Consent documentation – July 2004

• MOU / SLA – September 2004

LEGAL & INFO.

PRODUCTS:

• C&YPSP vision statement & LPS paper

• Branding

• Communication Plan

• Web site

• Service directory – June 2004

• Newsletter

• Workgroup & seminar package

COMMS. & PR

PRODUCTS:

• Assessment of IT systems in development to support ISA

• E-GIF technical statement – June 2004

• Security statement - June 2004

• Technical feasibility report - July 2004

• Short-list if IT systems most likely to meet SOR - September 2004

IT DEVELOPMENT

SUMMER 2004:

· Common Practices

· Common Language

· Common Assessment Framework

· Child Action Model Locality Groups

ISA Resource Pack

Business Case

· Statement of Requirement for an ISA IT solution

KEY DELIVERABLES

NEXT STEPS

AUTUMN 2004:

· Trailblazer report

SPRING 2005:

· Children Bill

· Funding for ISA IT system

SUMMER 2005:

· Procurement of an IT system

· ISA IT Pilot

SPRING 2006:

· Full working ISA system with a comprehensive database of children in Gloucestershire

DATABASE

PERSONAL & SENSITIVE INFORMATION:

• Forename (s) • Surname (s)

• Date of birth • Gender

• Address (es) • Ethnicity

• Unique number • Education

• Parent / guardian details

• GP • Health Visitor

• Assessed needs • Keyworker

CHILDREN BILL

AGENCIES REQUIRED TO SUPPLY DATA:

• Local Authorities • Police

• Probation boards • YOS

• Strategic Health Auth. • NHS Trusts

• NHS Foundation Trusts • LSC

• Maintained schools • Ind. schools

• FE institutions • Prisons

CHILDREN BILL

AGENCIES PERMITTED TO SHARE DATA:

• Inland Revenue

Child benefit records & Child tax credit record

• Secretary of State

DWP benefit records

• Registered childminders & day care providers

• Registered social landlords

• Voluntary organisations working with children

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Questions