About us
We truly believe that every child matters and we are passionately committed to improving the life chances of some of the most vulnerable children in Staffordshire. This is why it is so important that we are in the right shape to do the right things for the children we serve today and that we can continue to meet the changing needs of children tomorrow.
We have recently undergone a period of reorganisation, the "changing for children" programme which is about ensuring that the Vulnerable Children's Division has the right staffing, services and resources in place to meet the needs of vulnerable children and young people in the County and to enable us to address our priorities and to work more effectively with partners. It is a statement of our readiness to deliver quality services today and of our preparedness to respond proactively to future needs.
Our core business and key priorities are:
• Prevention (Family Assessment and Support Service teams) - working with vulnerable children and their families to reduce the risk of significant harm and family breakdown
• Safeguarding - ensuring that vulnerable children are safe and protected from the risk of significant harm
• Looked after children - ensuring that all looked after children and care leavers achieve their potential by providing and supporting safe, stable and positive experiences of care
• Children with additional needs (Disability Service) - working with families, schools and other partners to assess and meet the safeguarding, social and developmental requirements of children and young people
The vision
To work with vulnerable children and their families to reduce the risk of significant harm and family breakdown. This will be achieved by providing focused interventions and services based on assessed needs
The key areas of activity
Completion of initial and core assessments of children in need; provision of services to meet identified needs and which will prevent children entering the care and/ or the child protection system; provision of intensive family support plans which may include short term/ respite care provision and, joint working with other professionals through Community Learning Partnerships. CAMHS (Child & Adolescent Mental Health Service) workers are part of the Family Assessment and Support Service teams and are integrated into locality teams. Although managerially linked to the Family Assessment and Support Service we also have a First Response Team which has a clear and distinct remit to act as a central point for all referrals.
Teams
In addition to the county-wide First Response and CAMHS Teams, there is 1 Head of Service and 4 Family Assessment and Support Service teams in both the East and West of the county.
The vision
To provide a safeguarding service that ensures that vulnerable children are safe and protected from the risk of significant harm.
The key areas of activity
Responsibility for new Section 47 investigations; taking immediate action to safeguard children who have suffered significant harm; completion of core assessments on child protection cases; management of cases on the Child Protection Register; initiation and early management of care proceedings - a decision is shortly to be made as to whether permanency is to transfer to area based looked after teams.
Teams
There are 8 safeguarding teams within the County, 4 of which are based in the East and 4 in the West.
The vision
To ensure that all looked after children and care leavers achieve their potential by providing and supporting safe, stable and positive experiences of care.
The key areas of activity
Providing support services to children and young people, who are looked after, placed for adoption and leaving care. The looked after service area teams provide care management and permanency planning support to children, young people and their carers and management of some Children Act proceedings. The teams also provide through care support services to eligible and relevant care leavers.
The fostering service recruit, assess, prepare and support foster carers for vulnerable children's service teams. The adoption team recruit, assess, prepare and support adopters, family find for children with adoption as a plan and provide post adoption support to young people and families.
Teams
In the East and West of the County there are 2 permanency teams and 2 through care teams.
Find out more about our Fostering and Adoption service.
The vision
To work with families, schools and other partners to assess and meet the safeguarding, social and developmental requirements of children and young people with additional needs.
The key areas of activity
The Social Care element of the Additional Needs Service consists of four fieldwork Children's Disability Service Teams in each double district. The teams provide a holistic service for Children with Disabilities, including the elements of Prevention, Safeguarding, and Looked After Children. Each team currently has one Children's Occupational Therapist who is responsible under the Chronically Sick and Disabled Person's Act for professional assessments for equipment of daily living and adaptations. Social Work staff on the teams are responsible for all casework needs from Initial Assessments, Service Planning and Implementation e.g. Direct Payments and Short Break Services, Carer's Assessments, Core Assessments, S47 Enquiries, Court Proceedings, supporting of safe and stable full time placements, and the transition of the young person into adult services.
Family Support Staff on the teams are primarily responsible for short term pieces of work around behaviour management, practical support and supervised contact issues. Within the staffing structure there are five half time dedicated posts to work within multi-professional Child Development Centres in Newcastle, Stafford, Cannock and Tamworth and Burton. These roles are purely Preventative and not be responsible for Safeguarding or Looked after Children's Needs.
We are also currently looking at the development of specialist county wide social work staff for Children with Sensory Needs, but this post is not currently available within the service.
Teams
There are 4 Disability Teams and 1 Family Link Team within the County.
Last Modified:
07/08/2007 08:06:57
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