Child in Need Coordinators Improving Outcomes for Manchester’s Children and Young People

Child in Need Service To introduce the new CiN Coordinators Service To look at how the Service will support the Continuum of needs and responses To achieve improved outcomes for children, young people and families

Child in Need Service Six Child in Need Coordinators City wide chairing of multi-agency child in need case planning and review meetings Targeted focus on children assessed on the “Edge of Care”

Case Planning Working Together 2006 :  Effective multi-disciplinary processes for vulnerable children in need not just those in need of protection or “looked after  Achieving good outcomes requires working together to an agreed plan of action  Case planning key mechanism

Legislation Children Act 1989 defined child in need as : Unlikely to achieve or maintain a reasonable standard of health and development without the provision of service Health or development significantly impaired without the provision of such services She/he is disabled (section 17 (10) CA 1989) Transition children in Manchester

Policy, Procedural Guidance Framework for the Assessment of Children in Need and Their Families (2000) – planning is based on three assessment domains Children Act 2004 – ECM Framework, focus upon early identification and prevention, common processes, need rather than service led Working Together 2006 – outlined clear processes for multi – agency assessment of children in need; preventing escalation for families Care Matters 2007 – coordinated and sustained support for families on the edge of care

Key lessons JAR 2006: agencies work well together, but their effectiveness is inconsistent across the City Serious Case Reviews: absence of key people, actions not monitored or followed up, independent chair MSCB Case Planning Training

Continuum of needs and responses and CIN Service Build on existing multi agency practice Vulnerable Babies Project, Area Casework Panels, CAF Dedicated resource to support children and young people in transition Targeted focus to prevent drift- neglect situations

Continuum of needs and responses and CIN Service Organise and facilitate case planning and review meetings Identify lead professional/ planned transfer of LP Assertively quality assure planning and monitor actions Link with CAF Coordinators to ensure consistency in referral and assessment processes

Edge of Care Targeted focus on edge of care, high risk of entering child protection and /or LAC processes Social Worker is the lead professional Where statutory intervention has ceased and LP required to robustly sustain change Preventing escalation through earlier and integrated multi- agency intervention

Child in Need Case Planning After Initial Assessment and Child in Need Plan required Following a core assessment Child in Private Fostering arrangement When a child is no longer looked after-end of Section 20, Special Guardianship Order

CiN Service Five CiN Coordinators appointed Policy, procedures and practice guidance developed for consultation Use Integrated Children’s Systems Child in Need planning documents Duty service providing advice and consultation service relating to children in need Operational by September 2008

Practicalities Team based at Quality Assurance and Performance Management Unit City wide remit Thematic leads-Private Fostering, Domestic Abuse, Children with disabilities District links, Safeguarding Fora

CiN Service Developing service Communication, briefings and awareness raising Contact us: