1. Children’s Services and Voluntary & Community Services Alliance
Finding Common Ground
County Durham
Children’s Services and Voluntary & Community Services Alliance
Helen Riddell and Karen Davison
Children’s Services
Durham County Council

2. Overall aim of the VCS Alliance
Improve outcomes for vulnerable children, young people and their families;
Further develop the links between DCC Children’s Services and the Voluntary and Community Sector;
Enhance community capacity;
Reduce the numbers of re referrals into statutory services;

3. Working Together
The transformation of frontline services highlights a recognition that partners need to work together more effectively to improve outcomes for families, tackle neglect and a wide range of issues impacting on the family.
County Durham benefits from a strong VCS delivering a broad range of projects, activities and interventions to children, young people and their families.
The VCS is often able to provide ongoing long term support at a local level that enables families to remain supported without the need of statutory services
We envisage fundamental changes in the relationships between the statutory services and VCS partners to deliver better services to children, young people and their families, building upon existing networks and relationships that have been built up across the county.

4. Voluntary and Community Sector Alliance so far
Early starter areas – Ferryhill and Stanley localities
Identified a range of community based provision and key partner organisations
Provided all relevant staff with information about the project and introduced the Advice in County Durham referral portal
VCS is referenced in the new Children’s Services Referral Form
Consultation with CS staff and VCS partners (survey monkey)
Development of focus groups
Work will begin ferryhill and Stanley (in line with OP and FF boundaries) and embedded into these localities by end Nov 17

5. Finding our common ground Challenges and Benefits
Always changing and reorganising so hard to keep up with who's who
Opened my eyes up to how things work behind the scenes and all of the work that needs to go in to protect children
Other organisations are specialist in their field and have better understanding and knowledge about a certain thing and can give better advice and support
time it takes from referral to making an appointment can be a challenge when you are working with hard to reach families
Co-odinated support plan to ensure all support options are made available for the family and services do not duplicate support.
Survey Monkey quotes
VCS quotes blue
CS quotes green
Challenges first 4 bubbles
Benefits last 4 bubbles
Not knowing what services are available within the local area
holistic approach to working, often there may be opportunities with other funding through the voluntary sector for opportunities.
only some staff are aware of our services we only receive referrals via them which means a lot of families are missing out on the help we can provide.

6. Finding our common ground Suggestions for the future
Fast track system would be good if an individual is working with a service.
carousel/ networking events having up to date information
Regular updates about other organisations and what they have to offer
Attend more group meetings so we can explain our services
Open minds and a willing to engage with networks,
Info from survey monkey
Anyone working with clients that have these organisations involved should have some brief training

7. Any Questions