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Following feedback from managers the format of Team Brief has changed. Team Brief items are now identified as 'essential' or 'optional'. Essential items must be delivered as part of Team Brief. Optional items can be included at the manager's discretion based on relevance to the specific team.
The source of the item is also identified in the title - Public Health (PH), Integration & Partnerships (I&P), Adult Social Care (ASC), Children & Young People (C&YP), Provider Services (PS), Education & Skills (E&S), Commissioning (C)
Contents
Why this is in Team Brief:
In advance of Brexit it is essential that all EU nationals working for CCC apply for settled status.
Expected outcomes:
Any EU nationals working for CCC teams are aware of the urgency of applying.
Briefing Information:
Following a period of extensive testing, the EU Settlement Scheme is fully open. Over 600,000 people have already applied under the Scheme to secure their rights and get the status they need to stay in the UK after Brexit for as long as they wish.
The service has been designed to make it as simple as possible for EU citizens and their family members to apply.
During the public test phase of the Scheme earlier this year, over 200,000 applications were received from citizens of all 27 EU countries:
- 95% of applicants successfully used the mobile phone app to prove their identity remotely, most in under 10 minutes
- 88% of applicants were able to have their UK residence automatically checked by providing their National Insurance number
- 81% of respondents reported that it was “very easy” or “fairly easy” to complete the application form
If you would like to read more about how the test phase went, we have published a full report on GOV.UK.
Apply today
If you’re an EU, EEA or Swiss citizen, you and your family members can apply to the EU Settlement Scheme free of charge today. Applicants only need to prove their identity, demonstrate their UK residence, and declare any criminal convictions.
You can find full guidance and start your application at: www.gov.uk/settled-status-eu-citizens-families
If you would like to use the Android app to verify your identity, you can download the app from the Google Playstore. For guidance and a video demonstrating how to use the app, click here. This service will be available on Apple devices by the end of this year.
Alternatively, you can visit an identity scanner location to help you complete this part of the application process or you can post your document to us for verification.
Resources
If you have any questions about your application, you can contact our EU Settlement Resolution Centre for help. For anyone who needs additional support completing the online application, there is also an Assisted Digital service.
EU Settlement Resolution Centre Telephone: 0300 123 7379 (from within the UK) Monday to Friday, 8am to 8pm Saturday and Sunday, 9:30am to 4:30pm EU Settlement Scheme contact form Find out about call charges
Why this is in Team Brief:
To thank all of those involved in the project new care homes projects.
Expected outcomes:
Increased awareness of the ongoing investment in Cumbria Care.
Briefing Information:
This year has seen the opening of two new state of the art residential homes in Whitehaven and Carlisle. Both homes provide modern quality care for older adults, especially those with dementia and complex care needs. As well as Burnrigg Court, Carlisle and The Gables, Whitehaven, Cumbria Care also opened Parkview Gardens, Barrow in 2017.
The Gables is the latest to hold their official opening event, which is planned for 26th September. Staff, residents and families will get together to celebrate the opening of the new home. Cumbria County Council’s Chairman Cllr Christine Bowditch will cut the ribbon to declare the home officially open.
Thanks to everyone involved in the projects for their support and hard work which has allowed residents to settle into life in their new homes.
Resources:
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Why this is in Team Brief:
Thriving Communities is one of the council's key corporate programmes aimed at transforming how the council delivers services and meets the needs of local people. A number of pilot projects are underway to test the approach and Cumbria Care is participating in one of them.
Expected outcomes:
CCC staff help people to access more opportunities in their communities and support service users to live more independently.
Briefing Information:
The Thriving Communities pilot project builds on the approach we already have:
1. Review of care packages: This is particularly important as their needs change over time, as do their interests and aspirations. A social worker will make an appointment for this review/assessment and will take all circumstances into account, together with the wishes of the service user and his or her family and carers.
2. Supporting the social worker to identify potential activities and opportunities will be a multi-disciplinary team, made up of staff from a number of service areas including Cumbria Care, linking particular knowledge and expertise to concentrate on matching people with what’s available in the community where appropriate. The overarching aim will be to enable individuals to become more independent by building personal resilience and confidence to access local opportunities and build their social networks.
3. For each individual this will inform a unique package of care, which could be very similar to what they receive now; may require increased time at Day Services; or may include a blend of community activity, volunteering/work as well as sessional time at Day Services.
For Day Opportunities this is nothing new and Cumbria Care services have links with the community which already benefit people in our care. This pilot is seeking to strengthen those links and provide that extra capacity by bringing together the various teams who are working within communities to wrap around people who use or may need services and their families.
Resources
Why this is in Team Brief:
To thank everyone involved in the project.
Expected outcomes:
Success is celebrated and other homes are encouraged to consider similar projects.
Briefing Information:
Earlier this year, manager Julie Stevenson, and the team at Lapstone House, Millom, asked some of the local community if they knew of anyone who would help with tidying the garden at Lapstone. They were inundated with offers of help from local residents and businesses. What was planned as a tidy up soon became a large scale makeover, with the usable space tripled, new fence and gates installed and painted, ground leveled, turf laid, paths and patio areas re-laid, raised planters built, gazebo / pergola built, and new beds / borders created and planted, tree seat built, furniture donated, existing furniture sanded and painted.
Volunteers have worked sensitively and thoughtfully with the home to make sure that all the work was suitable for older adults, some of whom have dementia. Millom is a small town, and most people who live there know the home, and will have had a loved one supported by the excellent service delivered there. The group are finishing remaining items over the next few weeks, and they are planning to have a garden party on 21st September to celebrate Lapstone House’ 50 year anniversary.
Resources:
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Why this is in Team Brief:
To encourage anyone working with older people to request a card from HM The Queen, where eligible.
Expected outcomes:
The lives and achievements of our elderly service users are positively recognised.
Briefing Information:
The Lord-Lieutenant of Cumbria (the Queen's official representative in the county), Clair Hensman, is keen to encourage more people across Cumbria to request a birthday or anniversary card from HM The Queen.
Cards are sent to those celebrating their 100th and 105th birthday and every year thereafter, and to those celebrating their diamond wedding (60th), 65th, 70th wedding anniversaries and every year thereafter. It is also possible to receive a belated message up to six months after the event.
Upon receipt of a card, this also provides us with the opportunity to positively recognise the individual’s life and achievements. The process to request a card is quick and easy and can be done online, follow the link under Resources for more information. Greeting cards are sent direct from HM The Queen. Although the Lieutenancy Office can arrange for HM Lord-Lieutenant to personally present the card. To discuss this further please contact Suzannah Walker on 01228 221722. If you know someone who has received a card and would be happy to feature in People News, please email bridget.slee@cumbria.gov.uk
Resources:
https://www.cumbria.gov.uk/Anniversary.asp
Why this is in Team Brief:
To raise the profile of the Domestic Abuse Champions Network
Expected outcomes:
Staff across the council volunteer to become champions. Council supports Domestic Abuse Champions Network.
Briefing Information:
The Domestic Abuse Champions Network is a network of individuals from a variety of agencies, including Cumbria County Council, who work together to ensure a coordinated approach to tackling domestic abuse. Many County Council staff deal with victims and perpetrators of domestic abuse, if this is you and you would like represent your service in the Domestic Abuse Champions Network please email Louise.Kelly@cumbria.gov.uk
Planning is underway for future training and network meetings around the county. If you are interested in attending the training please talk to your line manager and then contact the Champion Network co- Coordinator, Steve Robson at champions@womenscommunitymatters.org
The network need free venues for the group to meet. If you know of a facility which seats between 30 to 50 people that the network could use, please email champions@womenscommunitymatters.org
For Domestic Abuse Champions, network meetings will be held as follows:
• North: November 2019 and March 2020 and July 2020 (all in Carlisle)
• South: September 2019 (Barrow) and January 2020 (Kendal) and May 2020 (Barrow)
• West: October 2019 and February 2020 and June 2020 (venues in Allerdale and Copeland)
All of the above are currently being arranged in terms of venues, dates, times, speakers etc. More information will be sent out to champions shortly.
Supporting the victims of Domestic Abuse and working to raise awareness of it and reducing its incidence is vitally important. By supporting the Domestic Abuse Champions network you could make a real difference – please consider whether you can help.
Resources: n/a
Why this is in Team Brief:
To make staff aware of the publication of the Learning from Serious Case Review Child BE (published 11 July 2019)
Expected outcomes:
Staff read and understand the report. Learning is shared and practice is improved.
Briefing Information:
Cumbria LSCB commissioned a Serious Case Review (SCR) regarding Child BE in 2017. Due to ongoing parallel criminal proceedings, which have now concluded it has not been possible to publish the SCR report until now.
A Serious Case Review takes place "where abuse of a child is known or suspected; and either - (I) the child has died; or (ii) the child has been seriously harmed and there is cause for concern as to the way in which the authority, their Board partners or other relevant persons have worked together to safeguard the child".
Child BE's Story
When Child BE was 6 months old he presented with an injury to his eye, said to be self-inflicted. Child BE is permanently blind, in one eye; it was as a result of the injury sustained that led to this serious case review.
Child BE was first referred to Children’s Social Care as an unborn. BE’s half-sister had been on a child in need plan due to domestic violence within the family. A linked child was alleged to have sustained injuries at the hands of BE’s father at the age of 5 weeks. BE’s father has a long history of mental health problems, drug misuse and anger management issues. A number of the adults in the family had been known to services and risk issues were not effectively shared among agencies.
If you work with children and families in Cumbria, there may be additional specific actions and lessons for your agency and your role. Please ask your manager, or contact your representative on the Cumbria Local Safeguarding Children Board, to find out more.
Lessons to be learned from Child BE
- Risk was assessed using a variety of tools within different agencies; a more in depth risk assessment should have taken place. The agencies across the LSCB should use a common approach and an agreed tool to assess where Domestic Abuse is a factor.
- Multi-agency meetings were taking place but the purpose of the plan and the follow up of key actions were missed. This case highlighted inconsistencies in the way meetings are recorded and inadequate assessment of risk.
- On completion of a Child in Need Plan professionals must consider who else needs to know this information. The analysis that is used to inform assessments should also be shared with other professionals that are involved with the family.
- To be effective, assessments must incorporate both information gathering and analysis of that information to understand risk and to formulate effective plans.
- Without professional curiosity professionals fail to recognise risks and the focus shifts away from the child and onto the parent.
- Effective safeguarding supervision needs to balance support and challenge and is facilitated by systems for clearly recording and reviewing concerns relating to individual children.
- There is cumulative risk of harm to a child when different parental and environmental risk factors are present over periods of time. These include: domestic abuse; parental mental health problems; drug and alcohol misuse; adverse childhood experiences; a history of criminality, particularly violent crime
Resources:
Child BE - SCR Report
LSCB Response to Child BE Report
Learning from SCR Child BE
Why this is in Team brief:
Further to recent final decision notices received from the Local Government & Social Care Ombudsman where fault has been found with the Council’s handling of complaints, this briefing is to remind staff of the actions required when receiving and handling complaints.
Expected Outcomes:
- Awareness by all staff of the actions required when receiving or handling allegations or complaints to ensure they are managed in a timely and effective manner. This is of particular importance when dealing with complaints submitted by young people.
- An understanding of the importance of identifying learning from complaints so as to reduce the risk of a similar complaint arising in the future and to ensure learning outcomes are captured so they can be implemented and their impact measured.
Briefing Information:
Whilst a complaint will not guarantee the complainant will get a new or alternative service it should ensure they get an explanation as to the lack of service or decisions made. In addition the complaint could help us to improve our service in the future.
There are 3 stages to the complaints process in relation to Children’s Services, ideally any complaint would be resolved at the initial stage which is the local resolution/problem solving stage. All staff are asked to review the guidance notes for responding officers in relation to Children Services complaints to ensure they are familiar with the process and the recent amendments that have been incorporated into it.
Key points to note are:
- Ensure clear action plans are drawn up to ensure that the allegations/complaint is managed in an effective and timely manner.
- Where allegations relate to a social worker, the social worker is advised of the allegations/complaint and any discussions are recorded as part of supervision sessions.
- Where the complaint is from a child/young person contact should be maintained with them to assure them of progress in investigating their allegation/complaint with any decision making in respect of the outcome clearly documented.
- To ensure compliance with the Council’s policies and procedures in recording information as outlined in section 2.1 of the Tri.x guidance on ‘Case Management and Recording Procedures.’
Resources:
Why this is in Team Brief:
We want to raise awareness of services available around domestic violence and abuse.
Expected outcomes:
- Staff are aware of the support services that Cumbrian Children’s Centres can provide to families recovering from domestic abuse.
- Staff identify families who could use these support services.
Briefing Information:
The county has three service providers who manage forty eight Children Centres across the six districts of Cumbria. They have recently undertaken an audit focussing specifically on what services they provide to adults who have experienced domestic abuse from a partner; and children who have witnessed or experienced domestic abuse in the home.
The findings from the audit showed that Barnardos, Action for Children and Howgill Family Centre all demonstrated their ability to identify domestic abuse; and they have a good understanding of risk assessment and safety planning with adults and children who have engaged with their Children Centre. Good multi agency arrangements are in place and staff were aware of what other services were available to support and refer victims in to. Barnardos and the Howgill Family Centre runs the Domestic Abuse Recovery Toolkit (DART*) for adults and children, however, Action for Children run the DART for adults and Helping Hands for children. Other courses are available and depending on which Centre being visited they may run Healthy Relationships courses and Risk and Resilience/Happy to be me sessions (information available on LSCB website).
Lots of good practice was identified within the Centres; including families participating in the recovery toolkit were positive about the experience. The utilisation of decider skills has been encouraging. Good understanding and use of Signs of Safety, risk assessment tools and safety planning. Consistent participation in the local MARACs (Multi Agency Risk Assessment Conferences) was demonstrated across the county. Also retention rates for the Recovery Toolkit were good, although, referrals from partner agencies are low. The profile of the Children’s Centres needs to be raised so the services they provide are utilised.
If you are aware of a family recovering from domestic abuse, who could benefit from the services on offer, please contact Katie Clarke - Strategic Lead Children's Centres at Katie.Clarke@cumbria.gov.uk.
DART* aims to provide positive lifestyle coping strategies and explore issues around; self-esteem, the effects of abuse on children and on parenting skills, boundaries and trust, anger and conflict, setting goals and healthy relationships.
Resources:
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Why this is in Team Brief:
Signs of Safety is the agreed practice methodology in Children and Young People’s Services. It is important all staff are aware of the latest developments.
Expected outcomes:
People book onto the Cumbria Signs of Safety Gatherings.
Briefing Information:
In Cumbria, Signs of Safety is about children and young people remaining with families when the families have the potential to care for them safely. It is a strengths-based approach to child protection casework, grounded in partnership and collaboration with families and other professionals. For lots of resources and examples, visit our SoS website.
1. Cumbria Signs of Safety Gatherings
As part of Cumbria’s LSCB Safeguarding Fortnight, we are holding Cumbria Signs of Safety Gatherings to recognise and celebrate how Signs of Safety is transforming our practice in Cumbria. This will be an opportunity to reflect and be inspired by some practical examples of how Signs of Safety is making a different in our work with children and families. We are holding three events to maximise the number of people who are able to attend.
The events and booking details are scheduled as follows. Places are limited in line with room capacity so please book on asap:
- Monday 9th September 9.30am – 12.30pm Coronation Hall Ulverston
To book on please contact: Michelle Bram
- Wednesday 11th September 1.00pm – 4.00pm Lakes College, Workington (Room SG1)
To book on please contact: Charlotte Ferris cc. Stacey Thame
- Monday 16th September 9.30am – 12.30am Conference Room A , Cumbria House, Carlisle
To book on please contact: Lisa Mattock
2. Direct work with children – Wizards and Fairies
Andy Jones, a social worker in the Support and Protect team in Carlisle, has developed some templates based on the Wizards and Fairies direct work tools and has kindly shared them with us. He has developed unique templates to support those mapping and safety planning conversations with children, with unicorns, Harry Potter and superheroes all featuring. The templates are stored on the Signs of Safety SharePoint site under ‘Safety Planning Roadmap – Practice Resources – Direct work with children’. An example of a completed template has been attached below, where a child was clearly able to tell her dad what was worrying her, and what she wanted him to do to make the worries go away. This piece of work was shared at the initial child protection conference, and was a powerful way of bringing the child’s voice into the planning process.
Resources:
- https://intranet.cumbria.gov.uk/Childrens/cf/sos/SitePages/Home.aspx%20
Why this is in Team Brief:
Explain the purpose of the presentation and advise how to report suspicious activity.
Expected outcomes:
Teams identify and report suspicious activity.
Briefing Information:
On 31 July Adult Social Care Managers received a presentation from Dean Holden, Detective Chief Superintendent, Head of Crime for Cumbria Constabulary. The presentation focussed on Serious Organised Crime and County Lines in Cumbria, to help to spread the word about how crimes can be identified and reported.
Organised Crime Group (OCG): Individuals, normally working with others, with the intent and capability to commit serious crime on a continuing basis, which includes elements of:
- Planning
- Control
- Coordination
- Structure
- Group decision-making
Serious Crime: Serious crime is defined as crime that involves:
- The use of violence
- Results in substantial financial gain
- Or is conducted by a large number of persons in pursuit of a common purpose
- Or crime for which a person aged 21 or over on first conviction could reasonably expect to be imprisoned for three or more years.
County Lines explained:
- OCG Suppliers from big cities introduce a telephone number in a new area (another COUNTY) to sell crack and heroin directly at street level.
- A phone LINE represents an OCG Supplier’s brand rather than an individual and does not change frequently and are usually run from the their home city.
- Drug Users from the new area ring the number to place orders and Local Street Dealers are then dispatched to make deliveries via a separate telephone number.
- Local Street Dealers are mainly young vulnerable individuals who often suffer physical and sexual abuse and are forced to deal due to a drugs debt – Known as ‘Drugs Debt Bondage.’
- OCG Suppliers often locate lieutenants within the home addresses of the Local Street Dealers to control the supply – known as cuckooing.
Staff are asked to notify Cumbria Constabulary of suspicious activity by emailing fib@cumbria.police.uk
Resources:
View presentation
Why this is in Team Brief:
The new framework introduces important changes to how homecare packages are commissioned.
Expected outcomes:
All Homecare Packages are commissioned via the new online system https://www.sproc.net/apps/scm/content/default.aspx, which is operated by the Brokerage Teams
Briefing Information:
A new framework for Homecare goes ‘live’ on Monday 2nd September
After months of hard work from a number of teams across the Council including Brokerage, Systems, Finance, ASC, Commissioning & Procurement and Legal but also external providers and a software company called Adam Ltd we have arrived at the finishing post and got everything ready for what has been a very challenging deadline.
From 2 September 2019 we now have an ‘Any Qualified Provider’ framework that providers can join at any time providing they meet the minimum standards of accreditation and enrolment.
This means that we will have no packages commissioned on an ‘off framework’ basis from that date.
All providers on the framework will be paid the same hourly rates and there is no flexibility on this:
- Urban - £17.44
- Rural - £19.39
- Extra Rural - £23.10
Additionally all homecare packages will be commissioned via an online system called SProc.net. The Council’s Brokerage Teams will operate the system and will use this to circulate all Homecare Requirements to approved Homecare Providers. As the SProc.net system also manages the payments there is no longer a facility to make payments to providers who are not on the framework.
Guidance is being circulated to Team Managers and Practitioners around this system and a list of Approved Providers will also be included.
Resources
For more information contact alan.young@cumbria.gov.uk
Why this is in Team Brief:
The Cumbria SEND Improvement Programme is how we are responding to the recent Ofsted/CQC inspection of SEND services. The inspection found significant weaknesses in provision.
Expected outcomes:
All colleagues are aware of the SEND Improvement Programme and understand where it has implications for their own work.
Colleagues are encouraged to sign up to receive email alerts about the programme: https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/UKCCC/subscriber/new?topic_id=UKCCC_100
Briefing Information:
The SEND Improvement Programme is being led by an Improvement Board. The Board includes senior officers and Councillors from CCC and the NHS as well as parent/carer representatives from the Cumbria Parent Carer Forum. The Board is Chaired by Linda Clegg. Linda is independent of both CCC and the NHS and has extensive experience of working on similar projects across the country. The Board oversees the whole project, ensures progress is being made and takes key decisions.
The work to develop and deliver the improvement activity is managed by six Working Groups. These are:
- Understanding of local need
- Commissioning and access to provision
- Engagement and co-production
- Preparation for adulthood
- Emotional health and well-being
- SEN support
All working groups include representatives from relevant agencies, including CCC and the NHS. There will also be parent/carer representatives on these groups (more about this below). Most Working Groups have had one or two meetings so far and a calendar of future meetings is being developed. All the actions that the Working Groups have so far agreed can be found in the Written Statement of Action.
Details of these meetings can be found on the Local Offer pages we have created for this programme.
Resources:
Why this is in Team Brief:
Coaching is one of the key ways that we will help develop the skills of our workforce.
Expected outcomes:
Colleagues are aware of the opportunity to become a coaching champion and know how to apply.
Briefing Information:
The new Coaching Champions Programme has embraced a new approach to learning. Coaching Champions will participate in an immersive development programme, a blend of face-to-face workshops and webinars. They will explore and apply the theory and practice of strength-based coaching conversations. Coaching Champions will receive continued support and development including an invite to join the internal coaching network.
We are looking for individuals who:
- have a passion for helping others
- have absolute belief that every person has potential
- can motivate and encourage those around them
- have an interest in personal development – for themselves and others
Resources
If you’re interesting in finding out more search ‘Coaching Champions’ on My Learning. Register your interest for new dates starting in October visit:
https://cumbria.learningpool.com/course/view.php?id=859
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