1. Children's Social Services and Early Years Provision
Julie Stokes Jones

2. Children’s Social Care
Each local authority has a ‘duty of care’ to ensure the welfare and safety of children, that is anyone under the age of 18.
All services are funded by the government so are ‘statutory services’
What do you think they offer?

3. Children’s Social Care offers
CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service)
Who and What do they do?
They are a team of doctors, Nurses, psychologists and therapists who help young people up to the age of 18 with mental health problems.
Many young people do not have mental illnesses but may have serious problems with their emotions, behaviour, relationships and other people or coping with stress or trauma.

4. Children’s Social Care offers
Supporting Families:
Who and what do they do?
Gwynedd/Anglesey Social Services offer to support families. When families experience difficulties, they work closely with children, their parents, relatives or other carers and other organisation to find the best solution. Their aim is to keep families together whenever possible.

5. Children’s Social Care offers
Child Abuse
Who and what do they do?
If a child is being abused social services have a duty to investigate and protect the child
What to do
Contact Gwynedd Social Services and tell them what's happening. Phone: (9:00 - 17:00, Monday - Friday) Out of hours phone: (any other time and on Bank Holidays)
In an emergency – like when someone is being hit or shut out of their home – call the police on 999
Ring Childline on or go to the ChildLine website
You can ask an adult that you trust, like a teacher or youth worker or even a friend, to make the phone call for you. When people are working with children and young people they have to follow set procedures, but they will explain to you what they will do and will support you through the process.
Have a look at You Matter - the essential guide for young people in Gwynedd and Anglesey 

6. Children’s Social Care offers
Integrated Team for Disabled Children
Who and what do they do?
Derwen, the Integrated Team for Disabled Children, works with children and young people aged in Gwynedd. It provides specialist support for:
children with a developmental delay or disorder
disabled children
children with an illness.
Derwen is a partnership between the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board and Gwynedd Council’s Social Services Department.
What does Derwen offer?
one point of contact for the Team
advice and information
an Initial Assessment by a Duty Officer
professional input to meet the child’s needs
multi-agency review of the child’s needs
a right to an assessment of the carer’s needs
short breaks. Our 'short breaks statement' is attached on the bottom of this page

7. Who can refer a child to Derwen?
the child or young person
parent / carer
professionals (with family consent)
Who works for Derwen?
Duty Officer
Community Nurses (Child Development)
Clinical Psychologists
Social Workers
Education Liaison Officer
Support Services Officers
Occupational Therapist (Adaptations)
Information Officer

8. Children’s Social Care offers
Children in Care
Gwynedd Social Service have a legal responsibility to look after children who cannot live with their immediate families for reasons such as illness, neglect or abuse. Arrangements can be made for children and young people in these situations to live with family, friends or foster carers.
In these circumstances they have a responsibility as 'corporate' or 'public' parents to ensure that they provide looked after children with a level of care that we would expect caring parents to provide for their own children.
How do Gwynedd Social Services support and look after children?
They give high priority to the child's health and education needs. In order to meet these needs, they need to provide an environment where the child feels a sense of belonging and trust and has the confidence to talk to carers.
They also support children and young people to maintain existing relationships with family and friends, to develop new relationships if they wish, and to pursue and develop other interests.

9. Children’s Social Care offers
Adopting a child
This means becoming that child’s family for life.
The process includes:
a period of training and assessment before being approved
identifying the needs of a child, and finding a family to meet those needs
a period of introductions and moving in
adoption approved by court – becoming the child’s legal parents.
The process of approval and waiting can be long, but the service has helped many adopters and local children to have a new and happy family life together.
The North Wales Adoption Service is a combined service of local authority adoption teams in Gwynedd, Wrexham, Flintshire, Denbighshire, Conwy and Ynys Môn. We work together to help find local families for children in north Wales.

10. Children’s Social Care offers
Foster carers
Take children who can't be with their parents into their homes and look after them. This may be because of ill treatment or because their parents are ill.
Foster carers have to:
be very flexible, observant and patient
enable the child to settle into their family
accept and encourage regular visits to / from parents
be able to talk sympathetically and openly with the child about their past.
Teenage children with various problems are placed with foster carers.

11. Children’s Social Care offers
Youth Justice
The Youth Justice Service is a partnership between agencies (police, the health board and probation services) and Gwynedd and Môn councils. It is responsible for the provision of all youth justice services for those aged in Gwynedd and Môn.
We work with young people, and families of young people, who are:
referred to us by the Police
going through the courts 
placed under our supervision as part of a community custodial sentence
referred to us in response to anti-social behaviour
identified as being at risk of offending.
We aim to ensure that: 
the needs of victims are met
young people take responsibility for their criminal behaviour and put something back into their community 
parents take responsibility for their children 
opportunities are available to prevent youth crime 
the swift administration of justice.

12. What type of jobs are there in this sector?
Social Workers
Family Support worker
Duty Officer
Community Nurses (Child Development)
Clinical Psychologists
Education Liaison Officer
Support Services Officers
Occupational Therapist (Adaptations)
Information Officer
Fostering
And much more…………..

13. What qualities are needed to work in this sector?
excellent communication and people skills
the ability to relate to people of all ages and backgrounds and gain their trust
tact, patience and empathy
an understanding of the needs of different client groups
a non - judgemental attitude
the ability to work in a team and also use your own initiative
the ability to assess situations and take appropriate action
coping with difficult situations and challenging cases
good time management and organisational skills
computer literacy and administrative skills.

14. Early Years Provision
Childminder Registered childminders are professional day carers who work in their own homes to provide care and learning opportunities to a number of children under 8 years of age for more than 2 hours a day in a family setting.
They are registered with the Care and Social Services Inspectorate Wales (CSSIW) and the childminder’s service will be inspected every year to make sure it’s safe and suitable for young children. Childminders are usually registered to look after up to three children under 5 and three children aged 5 - 8, including their own children. They may look after older children up to the age of 14. Childminders are self - employed and set their charges themselves. There is no national rate for childminding. Costs can depend on the childminder, the area they live in, the services they offer e.g. food provision, school pick up's etc. and what overheads they have to cover. The Professional Association for Childcare and Early Years (PACEY) produce a useful guide to parents / carers ‘Choosing a Nanny or Childminder’. This leaflet can be downloaded from the Professional Association for Childcare and Early Years (PACEY) Website.

15. Nursery
Day nurseries provide full or part - time day care usually from 6 weeks old - 5 year olds, and can provide Early Years Education for 3 year olds. Hours tend to fit with an average working day of 8:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. and care is usually provided all year round. Some day nurseries offer school pick up's and sometimes run after school clubs and holiday clubs for older children. Whether they are privately run, community or workplace they need to be registered with the Care and Social Services Inspectorate Wales (CSSIW) and they are inspected annually. Day nurseries are members of the National Day Nurseries Association.

16. Out of School Clubs
Out of school clubs care for children that go to school, before and after school, and sometimes during school holidays. Out of school services are for children to play and learn and have fun in groups. They are usually based in or near schools. More are being set up at parents’ workplace. They are run outside school hours by a team of staff, usually called ‘play workers’. Activities should be planned to help children learn, play and relax with their friends. Play workers will often pick children up from local schools and can be supported by Clybiau Plant Cymru Kids' Clubs. There are different types of out of school services:
Breakfast Clubs - open in the morning before school so children can enjoy breakfast there.
After School Clubs - open in the afternoons normally from about 3:30 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Holiday Clubs / Playschemes – open during school holidays between about 8:30 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. Out of school services must be registered with the Care and Social Services Inspectorate Wales (CSSIW) if they are caring for children under eight years of age, for more than two hours a day and more than 5 days a year.

17. Cylch Meithrin / Playgroup
Cylchoedd Meithrin / Playgroups offer a place where children (aged 2½ - 4) can play and learn with other children from their local community, usually for hours in the morning or afternoon session during term time only. One session should not be longer than 4 hours. When two sessions are offered in one day, children must not attend more than five sessions per week. There must be a break between sessions with no children in the care of the provider. Most Playgroups need to be registered with the Care and Social Services Inspectorate Wales (CSSIW), Cylchoedd Meithrin are supported by Mudiad Ysgolion Meithrin and Playgroups are members with the Wales Pre-School Playgroups Associaiton.

18. Crèche
A crèche is a place where children (0 - 8 years) can be cared for up to 4 hours in any one session. Some are in permanent premises and care for children while parents or carers are engaged in particular activities e.g. shopping or sport. Others are established on a temporary basis to care for children while parents / carers are involved in time limited activities e.g. a conference or exhibition. They need to be registered with the Care and Social Services Inspectorate Wales (CSSIW) if they run for more than two hours a day, even where individual children attend for shorter periods.

19. Free Part - Time Nursery Education For 3 Year Olds
The Council has a statutory obligation to provide 10 hours a week part - time nursery education for 3 year olds in Gwynedd. As regards to children who have their third birthday before August 31st, provision is made through the County’s schools except for the following Primary schools: •Ysgol Pen y Bryn, Tywyn •Ysgol Llanbedr •Ysgol Dyffryn Ardudwy As regards to children who have their third birthday before December 31st or March 31st, provision is made through the ‘Cylchoedd Meithrin’, Nurseries or Play Groups. It must be noted that not all ‘Cylchoedd Meithrin’, Nurseries or Play Groups are registered as an Early Years Education provider. To obtain a list of registered early years education providers please contact the Information Service for Children, Young People and Families on: You will be able to secure your 10 free hours through contacting your childcare provider directly. An application can only be made for 10 hours only. The payment of the funds will go directly to the childcare provider. The requirements in order to obtain 3 year old Early Years Education Providers Funding are as follows. •Secure Care and Social Services Inspectorate Wales (CSSIW) registration. •Receive an inspection from Estyn / Follow the Foundation Phase Curriculum. •Comply with the Council’s requirements with the Language Policy and the S.E.N. Code of Practice. •Attend relevant training. •Work towards ‘Cylch Rhagorol’ (MYM) / Quality Assurance (WPPA).

20. What is available in your area?

21. What qualities are needed to work in this sector?
Patience Like children. Ability to think on your feet. Ability to play same game over and over again without showing boredom to the child. Ability to be creative Not be afraid to be daft-singing dancing and general messing about Sympathetic ear for parents and child. Work in a team Have your own initiative Ability to write down notes and fill out important documents. Discipline Sense of humour!!!

22. References Gwynedd Ni: http://www.gwynedd-ni.org.uk Gwynedd Council: