Integration Children – Referral Process

Integrating Children Referral Process

Part One

1.Referral Process 2

2.Priority Assessment Tool 5

3.Letter 1 – Enquiry Form letter 7

4.Enquiry Form 9

5.Letter 2a – Acknowledgement High / Medium11

6.Letter 2b – Acknowledgement Decline 12

7.Letter 2c – Acknowledgement Low Priority 13

8. Letter3 – Activity Sheet letter14

8.Activity Sheet (to follow)15

9.Letter 4 – Welcome16

Part Two

10. Process for dealing with outstanding referrals17

11.Existing Waiting List letter18

12.Email for enquiries through Children’s Network20

Annexes

Annex ADurham County Council description of disability21

Annex BIntegrating Children Referral Catchment Area22

Annex COther Universal Short Break Providers in 22

Integrating Children Referral Process

  1. Referral Process

Due to the increasing number of referrals for Integrating Children’s services we need to have a clear process to ensure both IC staff / volunteers and families seeking a service see the process as fair and auditable. This process must be followed in all cases.

  1. Outline of Process

+

Key:

  1. Underlying principles

i.Places should be offered in line with a set of Priorities which are transparent and fair.

  1. Children eligible to attend IC and in the top three priority groups should be offered some form of Short Break Activity within 10 weeks of referral. (Enquiry Form received).
  2. No child shall be provided with more than one weekday and one weekend activity during term time and two activities per week during holiday times, other than in emergency situations.
  3. A Trustee is responsible for ensuring that the process is followed and a record of referrals is maintained.
  4. Parents / referrers understand what is going on, even if they are not necessarily in agreement with the process and timescale.
  5. The process in manageable for the Operations Coordinator and any other staff / volunteers involved.
  6. All parents referring to Integrating Children should agree to become a Member of the charity with a minimum obligation of attending the Annual General Meeting.
  1. Responsibilities
  1. The Trustees Secretary will
  2. Maintain a Referral Record which will track the referral process and be available for any audit or complaint purposes.
  3. Be the ‘public face’ of Integrating Children with parents and referrers in relation to the Referral process.
  4. The Operations Coordinator is responsible for the implementation of home visits and risk assessments. The nature of risk assessment is not included in this policy – See Health and Safety Manual.
  5. The Trustees Secretary and Operations Coordinator will be supported by the Chair and Board of Trustees as requested.
  1. Interim Activity

Every child should be offered some form of Short Break Activity within 10 weeks of referral. This may be a place in an activity which may not be a first choice with a promise that, when a vacancy occurs in their preferred activity they will be offered it.

1

Version 2.5 – May 2014

Integration Children – Referral Process

Integrating Children – Priority Assessment tool
Priority Feature / Yes / No / Score / Comment
Initial score / 6 / Start assessment with score of 6
1. / Is the child between 5 and 18 / Go to 2 / Not eligible /
  1. We do not hold younger children on the waiting list. Referrals can only be accepted from children within age range.
  2. If over 18 see adult referral process

2. / Has child a disability as defined by Children’s Network / Go to 3 / Not eligible / See Annex A
3. / Does child normally live in the old County districts of Durham City or Chester le Street / Go to 5 / Go to 4 / The previous criteria of being able to travel to Durham or CleSt has changed as there are now services in each of the old districts. See Annex B.
4. / Is there a compelling reason why the child should attend IC even though they live outside the area (must live in Co Durham or ineligible) / Go to 5 / Not eligible / This would include such things as parent working in Durham / Chester over weekends or regular stays with relatives in area.
5. / Does child attend other funded activity, including through Direct Payment or Short Break elsewhere.
  • 1 other activity a week
  • More than 1 activity a week
/ Subtract from score –
1
2 / Go to 6 / DCC requires IC to spread Short Break services and exclude children attending other services until all on waiting list are provided for.
6. / Does the child attend residential or overnight short break / Subtract 2 from score / Go to 7 / DCC requires IC to spread Short Break services and exclude children attending other services until all on waiting list are provided for.
7. / Is it assessed that the child will require one or more than one Support Worker / Go to 8 / Go to 9
8. / Is the family able to provide a constant Direct Payment Worker to support activities / Go to 9 / Subtract 1 from score / IC is providing Universal Short Breaks and higher level support is not available as part of this contract.
9. / Does the child want to take part in ongoing activity rather than a single specific activity / Go to 10 / Subtract 1 from score
10 / Is parent prepared to subscribe to the Attendance Policy / Add 1 to score / Go to 11
11. / Total Score

Outcome

Score / Advice to parent
0-5LOW PRIORITY / Highly unlikely to be offered a place at Integrating Children until all higher priority referrals have been offered place. This is likely to be because the child is already receiving some form of respite funded by Durham County Council or other organisation and IC wants to ensure that the widest possible group of children have access to short breaks
6-7 HIGH PRIORITY / These are the top two categories placements will be offered, firstly to those children in group 7 then group 6. Places will be offered in each group based in order of date of receipt of referral.
Referrals within these groups can be advanced by the family providing support through a Direct Payment worker if there are places available.

1

Version 2.5 – May 2014

Integration Children – Referral Process


[Date]

Dear Parent / Carer

Re: Enquiry to Integrating Children

Thank you for making anenquiry to Integrating Children.

As an organisation we try our best to ensure as many children and young people have access to short break activities as we can. However, there are always more requests for activities than we can immediately provide for. As such referrals can often take a little while to process.

Integrating Children, is unlike a number of short break activity providers in that we offer supported activities in community venues, often over a number of years. As such, we need to get to know your child to assess how much support we will need to provide, which may be as part of a group or on a one to one basis. We are not able to offer instant places on activities which may be advertised through Children’s Network, other than when this is stated.

This letter outlines what will happen should you choose to make an Enquiry and we assure you that you will be kept in touch with the process.

  1. An Enquiry form is attached to this letter. Please complete this as fully as possible and return it to me as soon as you are able either by post at the address above or by email at It is important that you read the information at the top of the form regarding eligibility and priorities.
  1. If your child is not eligible to attend activities at Integrating Children or likely to be low on our priority list I will contact you by return, explaining why e.g. age, living out of our area.
  1. If you child has been placed in our higher priority group, within 6 weeks of receiving your application,I will contact you again to explain our current vacancy situation and ask you to complete a brief sheet on the type of activities your child would like to take part in and the times which would be best for you.

If there are vacancies available at this time David Gaudie, our Operations Coordinator, will also arrange to visit to meet you and your child.

  1. There may not be vacancies at this time but for those on the higher priority list we do make a commitment to offer an activity within 10 weeks of referral.

Once your child has been registered with Integrating Children you can change activities or ask to take part in School Holiday Schemes. One thing which can confuse parents is that being registered with the Children’s Network does not give automatic access to Integrating Children’s activities.

We will deal with your referral as swiftly as we can, keeping you in touch with you throughout the process.

Please feel free to contact me by email if you have any queries about this letter. Also you will be able to find out more about Integrating Children from our website –

Yours sincerely

Diane McGregor

Secretary of the Board of Trustees,

Integrating Children

Email:

Integrating Children Short Break Activities

Enquiry Form

Short Break activities

Integrating Children provides short break activities as part of County Durham’s county wide services. As such there are some factors which will prevent your child from taking part in activities organised by Integrating Children. These are –

  • If your child is younger than 5 years or older than 18 years
  • If your child normally lives outside of the old county districts of Durham City and Chester le Street. (If this is the case please refer to the provider in your area)
  • If your child does not have a disability

Also your child will be placed lower on the waiting list if they receive overnight respite or short break activities provided by another organisation. This is because the County wishes short break activities to be spread as widely as possible.

1. / Name of child / young person
2. / Address of child / young person
3. / Post Code
4. / Name of Referrer
5. / Relation to child / young person
6. / Phone number
7. / Mobile number
8. / Email address
9. / Preferred method of contact
10. / Date of Birth of child / young person
11. / Diagnosed Disability
12. / Does your child receive residential or overnight respite?
Please provide detail of activity and provider.
13. / Does your child attend other Short Break activities?
Please detail activities and provider. / Activity 1:
Activity 2:
Activity 3:
14. / To keep your child safe and involved is it likely that your child requires 1:1 or more Support Worker time.
15. / Are you seeking regular short break activities or occasional activities
16. / Are you prepared to keep IC staff fully informed if there are reasons for your child not attending an activity
17. / Is there anything which we should know which may provide a better understanding of your situation e.g. Whilst not living in the area I travel to work to Durham and would drop my child off on the way to work.

Signed:

Date:

Please return to or post to

Bullion Hall, South Approach, Chester le Street, DH2 2DW

[Date]

Dear Parent / Carer

Re: Enquiry to Integrating Children

Thank you for returning your Enquiry Form.

I hope that we will make contact with you within six weeks of receiving your enquiry and by, at the longest, 10 weeks we will be able to make an offer for your child.

I have attached a booklet, outlining what Integrating Children has provided over the last year, which may be of interest.

We will deal with your enquiry as swiftly as we can, keeping in touch with you throughout the process.

Please feel free to contact me by email if you have any queries about this letter. Also you will be able to find out more about Integrating Children from our website –

Yours sincerely

Diane McGregor

Secretary of the Board of Trustees,

Integrating Children

Email:



[Date]

Dear Parent / Carer

Re: Enquiry to Integrating Children

Thank you for making an Enquiry to Integrating Children.

As was explained previously Integrating Children offer places in line with eligibility and priority criteria. Having assessed your enquiry I am afraid that we will not be able to offer your child a place with the organisation as, [Delete as applicable]

  • They are younger than 5 years or older than 18 years which is outside the organisation’s age range for short break activities
  • Your child lives outside of the old county districts of Durham City and Chester le Street. (The provider for your area is.....)
  • Your child does not appear to have a disability
  • Your child’s disability appears to have little impact on their normal everyday life in relation to social and leisure activities.

I am very sorry we are not able to offer a place. Could I suggest that you have a look at activities advertised on Durham County Council’s Children’s Network page which may be able to identify an organisation which can meet your child’s needs.

Again, thank you for your enquiry and I am sorry we are unable to help.

Please feel free to contact me by email if you have any queries about this letter. Also you will be able to find out more about Integrating Children from our website –

Yours sincerely

Diane McGregor

Secretary of the Board of Trustees,

Integrating Children

Email:



[Date]

Dear Parent / Carer

Re: Enquiry to Integrating Children

Thank you for making an Enquiry to Integrating Children.

Having assessed your enquiry, whilst being prepared to place your child on our waiting list, I must inform you that they are in the lowest priority bands and will not be able to be offered a place until those in higher priority groups have been offered an activity. This may be a quite a while and possibly not at all.

This lower priority is due to your child already receiving either residential or day short break activities as part of the Durham County Council scheme.

I am very sorry we are not able to offer a place at the moment. Could I suggest that you have a look at activities advertised on Durham County Council’s Children’s Network page which may be able to identify an organisation which can meet your child’s needs more quickly.

Again, thank you for your enquiry.

Please feel free to contact me by email if you have any queries about this letter. Also you will be able to find out more about Integrating Children from our website –

Yours sincerely

Diane McGregor

Secretary of the Board of Trustees,

Integrating Children

Email:

[Date]

Dear Parent / Carer

Re: Enquiry to Integrating Children

Further to our earlier letter, I am afraid your child is still on Integrating Children’s waiting list and there are no immediate vacancies. However, as mentioned previously we aim to make an offer of a placement within 10 weeks of referral.

Could I ask that you spend some time with your child and complete the attached Activity Sheet which will help in finding activities which your child will enjoy. If we not able to meet your exact needs we will offer an Interim Activity. This is a place in an activity which may not be a first choice with a promise that, when a vacancy occurs in their preferred activity they will be offered it.

When I receive your Activity Sheet I will contact you within two weeks to arrange to visit when I will,

  • Undertake an assessment of your child’s needs and preferences
  • How best Integrating Children can fit in with your family arrangements
  • What we can offer your child and how we operate
  • Our attendance, safeguarding and complaints policies

I will also need to get you to give your consent to a number of items.

Yours sincerely

David Gaudie

Operations Coordinator

Integrating Children

ACTIVITY SHEET

To be Inserted



[Date]

Dear Parent / Carer

Re: Enquiry to Integrating Children

By this time you child will have been offered a place to take part in activities at Integrating Children.

I am sorry that the referral process has taken a little while, but as the parent of two children who have attended Integrating Children, I am sure you will soon realise that the wait was worthwhile.

We appreciate that part of our organisation’s aim is to provide respite for you but I would ask that you think whether there are any ways in which you can support the charity, whether this be through fund raising, attending social activities or even becoming a Trustee at some point. The organisation is managed on a purely volunteer basis so all offers of help are welcome.

It will have been explained that we do have one expectation of parents, which is that they agree to be members of Integrating Children and attend our Annual General Meeting. This will give you the chance to find out what is going on, vote for the Board of Trustees and share your ideas.

Most of your contact will now be with your support worker and David but if there ever is anything you would like to contact me about, please feel free.

I look forward to meeting you at one event or another and I hope your experience of Integrating Children is positive and enjoyable for your child.

Yours sincerely

Diane McGregor

Secretary of the Board of Trustees,

Integrating Children

Email:

Process for Dealing with Outstanding Referrals

This process will only be used in exceptional circumstances following the agreement by DMc who will have normally discussed the implementation at a Trustees Meeting or, at a minimum with the Chair.

The first occasion when this will be used is following the reorganisation of Universal Short Breaks in the County and the criteria for attending Integrating Children being amended.

Process