Enhancing Outcomes for Manchester's Children in Need

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

2. 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

3. 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”

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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

11. 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

12. 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

13. 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

14. CiN Service • Developing service • Communication, briefings and awareness raising • Contact us: • Julie.heslop@manchester.gov.uk