Early Help Newsletter - March 2016

The only number you need

Whether you think a parent or family needs some support, or you are worried a child might be at risk of abuse or neglect, there is only one number you need – 0345 6789 021. From this number you will receive the support you need to get the right help at the right time to strengthen families and safeguard children.

Strengthening Families Through Early Help and Protecting Children Pathway

CAMHS Transformation plan

Shropshire Council and the Clinical Commissioning Group have recently launched a five year transformation plan detailing how they will use the new investment set out in the NHS England document Future in Mind, to improve mental health outcomes for children and young people.

The joint Shropshire and Telford and Wrekin plan has 6 key programmes of work:-

1. Development of integrated 0-25 years Emotional Health and Wellbeing Service (to replace existing child and adolescent mental health services)
2. Improved neurodevelopmental assessment pathways
3. Training and development programme for workers in universal services to improve their knowledge and skills around emotional health and wellbeing of children and young people
4. Development of specialist eating disorder service for children and young people
5. Development of all-age psychiatric liaison service
6. Improved mental health support for pregnant women, new mothers and their families

A summary of the six programmes of transformation can be found here

The full transformation plan document can be found here

Key messages and recommendations from Stepping Up Audit Feb 2016

Early Help Partnership Meetings

The most significant learning coming out of this audit is that there is a lack of evidence of early help partnership meetings being convened to progress early help support.  Multi-agency discussions need to be held on a regular basis and recorded using early help plan paperwork, ensuring information is understood across agencies and prevents silo working.  The parents / carers and children and young people need to be heard and be visible within this process and be able to benefit from transparent communication and clear plans.

Evidence of the reviews need to be sent to Compass for recording on Carefirst in a timely manner to ensure relevant up to date information is available.

Communications

Outcomes of Concerns are not routinely communicated to the relevant person, this may contribute to next step recommendations, not being progressed.  

Where there is a current Early Help Episode, Compass workers should contact the lead agency to discuss Concern raised.  This would inform their advice or recommendation

Where targeted Early Help has recently closed, and a Concern is raised, consideration should be given to ask the targeted agency to update the assessment, rather than starting again.

Recording

More up to date recording of early help activity is required so informed decision can be made at Compass.

Closure forms need to clearly show the effectiveness of interventions/support as well as ensuring all risk assessment and contingency plans have been considered. At the moment there is evidence that closure forms are not completed comprehensively/ accurately enough.

Ensure inputting of early help activity logged on Carefirst includes use of Early Help classification (data inputting staff)

Agencies to send paperwork in promptly following EHPM

For a copy of the audit report please email EarlyHelp@shropshire.gov.uk

PREVENT

PREVENT is part of the counter-terrorism strategy, CONTEST. The PREVENT strategy addresses all forms of terrorism. The lead for PREVENT sits with the Shropshire Community Safety Partnership. The most significant of these threats is currently from terrorist organisations in Syria and Iraq, and Al Qa’ida associated groups. Terrorists associated with the extreme right also pose a continued threat to safety and security.

The Prevent strategy has three specific strategic objectives:

1. To respond to the ideological challenge of terrorism and the threat faced from those who promote it;
2. To prevent people from being drawn into terrorism and ensure that they are given appropriate advice and support; and
3. To work with sectors and institutions where there are risks of radicalisation that need to be addressed.

The Counter Terrorism & Security Act 2015 set out the duty on local authorities and partners to develop local panels to provide support for vulnerable people who are at risk of being drawn into terrorism. In England and Wales this duty is the Channel programme. Channel was first piloted in 2007 and rolled out across England and Wales in April 2012. Channel focuses on providing support, at an early stage, to people who are identified as being vulnerable to being drawn into terrorism.

The programme uses a multi-agency approach to protect vulnerable people by:

• identifying individuals at risk;
• assessing the nature and extent of that risk; and
• developing the most appropriate support plan for the individuals concerned.

Channel may be appropriate for anyone who is vulnerable to being drawn into any form of terrorism. Channel is about ensuring that vulnerable children and adults of any faith, ethnicity or background receive support before their vulnerabilities are exploited by those that would want them to embrace terrorism, and before they become involved in criminal terrorist related activity.

If you require any further information on the Channel process, or PREVENT, please contact Andrew Gough, Safer Communities, Community Safety and Health Protection Team. Telephone 01743 253984 or email andrew.gough@shropshire.gov.uk  or CommunitySafety@shropshire.gov.uk

Young Carers Project

Shropshire Council has commissioned the charity Carers Trust 4All to continue to support young carers in Shropshire for a 12 month period, starting on 1 April 2016.

British Red Cross, the current support provider, had been commissioned by the council since 2009. Following British Red Cross’s decision not to re-apply for this type of support, the council sought to appoint another provider.

Carers Trust 4All is already commissioned by Shropshire Council to provide support for adult carers, which enables the potential for smooth transition between young carers and support for young adults who are carers.

British Red Cross recently wrote to all carers and guardians involved in the young carers’ project in Shropshire to inform them of this change and will continue to support young carers until 31st March 2016.

Carers Trust 4 All, British Red Cross will work closely with the council and young carers to ensure that the transition to the new service can be as smooth as possible

The telephone number for the Young Carers Project delivered through Carers Trust 4 All is 033 33 23 1990.

Supporting the Emotional Health & Wellbeing of our Children & Young People

TaMHS supporting the Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin Transformation Plan for Children and Young People’s Mental Health and Wellbeing

Shropshire has recently started work to transform mental health services for children and young people. Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) have received funding from NHS England to transform Children and Adolescent Mental Health Services locally.  This funding will be used to deliver the Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin Transformation Plan for Children and Young People’s Mental Health and Wellbeing.

One of the key aims of the transformation plan is to up-skill our local workforce through training and development.  Through this training and development, those who work with children and young people will be more able to identify potential mental health issues and offer appropriate advice and support to help prevent mental health issues getting worse for children and young people.  We will be running a variety of training sessions and workshops for professionals and volunteers who work alongside children and young people.  The training will cover emotional health and wellbeing, early detection and intervention of emerging mental health issues and skills to support self harming behaviours and suicidal thoughts.

We are really excited about the opportunities to develop the support to professionals and volunteers working with children and young people in Shropshire. We would be delighted if you could please help us promote our plans and the upcoming workshops and training opportunities amongst your colleagues and networks.

For a list of 2016/2017 training dates and booking form please follow:

https://www.shropshirelg.net/media/378827/TaMHS-Training-leaflet-2015-16-020316-.pdf

If you have any questions or require further information please contact

Naomi O’Hanlon, Shropshire Programme Lead, Developing Workforce Universal Services

naomi.ohanlon@shropshire.gov.uk  01743 253942.

Changes to accessing Strengthening Families Employment Advisors

From 1st April 2016, there will be a change to the way in which support from the Strengthening Families Employment Advisors will be provided.

The referral criteria for support is

• No family members working
• Family at risk of financial hardship

The process for referral is:-

• As initial assessment identifies the family meet the referral criteria or the problem is identified while the family is engaged with services.
• Consent to share information is in place.
• Referrer task Shropshire Strengthening Families through ECINS or e-mail ShropshireStrengtheningFamilies@shropshire.gov.uk  for a consultation or assessment of need.
• Where appropriate an Employment Officer will be allocated or they will contact to give advice about signposting to appropriate services.
• Employment Officer will complete a worklessness assessment on allocated cases which will form part of the whole family assessment.
• Appropriate outcomes and measures to be identified.  The voice of the family will be reflected in the goals and tasks agreed. 
• Employment Officers will oversee the worklessness element of the family plan and report on outcomes and measure, collecting evidence where appropriate.

Ben Marr and Craig Johnson from Strengthening Families will be presenting some Information Sessions with regards to their work with DWP and the Strengthening Families team, these sessions will include an update on benefit information, what they can offer and details on the above referral process.

All sessions start at 10.30am till 12 noon

• Central Shrewsbury 15/4/16 - The Lantern Ben Marr & Craig Johnson
• North East 18/4/16 - Prees Cricket and Recreation Club – Craig Johnson
• South East- 18/4/16 - St James’ Hall Bridgnorth – Ben Marr
• North West – 19/4/16 - Children’s Centre c/o Holy Trinity Primary School – Craig Johnson
• South West 19/4/16 – Craven Arms Community Centre, CASCA – Ben Marr

If you would like to come along to one of the dates and venues below, please email ShropshireStrengtheningFamilies@shropshire.gov.uk

Compass – Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub

Great news! Police staff from the Harm Assessment Unit are now based at Compass. This co-location of safeguarding professionals will enable them to contribute their expert skills and knowledge to share information. It will also help to build up a holistic picture of the circumstances of a child and family and make good quality joint decisions.

Working with children of offenders toolkit

The i-HOP Quality Statements and Toolkit is a helpful resource for all professionals in universal, targeted, specialist and criminal justice services to assess and develop their practice with the children of offenders. Produced by Research in Practice, the Toolkit was informed by research, policy and practice as well as practitioners and children and young people who have had a loved one involved in the Criminal Justice System.

The Toolkit is structured by 8 Quality Statements for services to aspire to. These fit under the headings:

1. Awareness
2. Identification
3. Children's Voice
4. Multi-Agency Working
5. Stages of the Criminal Justice System
6. Support and Services
7. Challenging Stigma
8. Building the evidence

Each Quality Statement includes; a rationale about why it is so important for improving children's outcomes, examples of past or existing practice and action checklists which you can edit in the PDF document or print off so that your service can self assess its work with offenders' children. There is also a fully editable template in the appendix to help your service develop a work plan using the most relevant action points from the self assessment checklists in the Toolkit.

Below, you can download the Quality Statements and Toolkit. There is also a handy introductory video and an appendix Resource Database of tools, practice examples and references.

https://www.i-hop.org.uk/app/answers/detail/a_id/759

Autism West Midlands courses for parents

Bookings will soon be taken for the following courses aimed at parents whose children have or may have autism.

Rising to the Challenge  - A 6 session course for parents who really want to understanding autism and their child. This course runs in Shrewsbury during June/July and September/Oct with a choice of daytime or evening sessions

Social Stories, a practical workshop (4 May Shrewsbury)

Internet and new media safety (19 May Shrewsbury)

Further dates for our one day Understanding Your Child with Autism course at venues across the county will also be available soon.

All our courses are for parents of children with autism/autistic traits (diagnosis not needed) and are listed on the events pages at http://www.autismwestmidlands.org.uk/events

Or email Shropshire@autismwestmidlands.org.uk   for details

New Siblings Group from Autism West Midlands

There will be a new monthly sibling group in Oswestry for 8 to 13 year olds who are brothers and sisters of children on the autism spectrum. This regular after school club (monthly on Wednesdays 4.30pm to 6.30pm) will meet in Oswestry. Thanks to the generosity of local fundraisers who have made this group possible and as a result children must live in the Oswestry and surrounding area to attend.

The club will start in April and at the moment Autism West Midlands would like to hear from any families interested, further information and membership forms will then be sent to them. Parents can contact Shropshire@autismwestmidlands.org.uk

April is Autism Awareness month 

To celebrate Autism West Midlands families are invited to a fun event on Friday 1st April from 10.00 am to 1.00 pm. There will be fun stories, crafts, cakes and a visit from Jake Evans, National Young Storyteller of the Year. Jake’s stories are fun, mysterious, and sometimes scary but never, ever boring. The fun day will be held at The Lantern, Meadow Farm Drive, Shrewsbury, SY1 4NG. Cost £2 per child (max £5 per family). For more information please email shropshire@autismwestmidlands.org.uk  or call 01743 210962.

Schools and workplaces can also get involved in Autism Awareness Day by taking part in Silly Sock day to raise awareness and funds. Wear your silliest, craziest, wackiest socks to school, work, or even challenge your friends and family to wear their most outrageous socks for a day at home.  Complete this online form for a fundraising info pack

https://app.etapestry.com/onlineforms/AutismWestMidlands/SSD.html?mc_cid=341f7da605&mc_eid=%5bUNIQID%5d   or you can email fundraising@autismwestmidlands.org.uk

Resources

At the Spring Early Help Network Meetings, examples of resources to use with young people were shared, and welcomed by those attending. These resources can be used by practitioners when having conversations with young people around feelings and are useful in capturing the voice of the child. If you could like copies of these resources please email earlyhelp@shropshire.gov.uk please note the email reply is approx. 11MB

Early Help practitioner Feedback – Thank you

Thank you to everyone who took part in the recent Early Help Practitioners Survey. Your feedback is really important to us and we value the comments and suggestions made. We are now in the process of analysing the results which we will share as soon as they are available. In the meantime you can always share your feedback via EarlyHelp@shropshire.gov.uk

REMINDER - Getting communication right

Good communication is important to us and we'd welcome your comments and feedback on what works for you. Do you like the Early Help newsletters? What do you think of the Early Help Website? Do the Early Help Network meetings work for you? What else could we try to get messages out to you? If you want to share your thoughts then please email kate.bentham@shropshire.gov.uk

Shropshire Council

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Anchorage Avenue

Shrewsbury Business Park

Shrewsbury

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