Poole Borough Council S Eligibility Criteria for Children S Social Care Services

Poole Children and Young People’s Services - Levels of Need and Continuum of SupportAPPENDIX 2

September 2014 version

Must be read in conjunction with LSCB guidance

LEVEL 1
UNIVERSAL / LEVEL 2
UNIVERSAL PLUS / LEVEL 3
PARTNERSHIP PLUS /

LEVEL 4

SPECIALIST/STATUTORY

Children with UNIVERSALneeds / Children with
ADDITIONAL NEEDS / VULNERABLE Children
with high level additional needs requiring co-ordinated services /

Children in need of protection who require statutory services and/or local authority care

All children and young people access UNIVERSAL services

IDENTIFICATION:
All children will have needs that are met by Universal services, such as schools, children’s centres, early years settings, child health services, positive activities for young people and general practitioners.
Children at this level may have one or two low level needs or one very specific need, but these can be met by one agency or referral to one other agency. / IDENTIFICATION:
Children, young people withadditionaland emerging needs which cannot be met without the support of additional services.
Provision of targeted or additional support, usually from more than one agency, should prevent their needs escalating to a higher level.
Many needs will be met by staff in universal services receiving advice and support from specialist services. / IDENTIFICATION:
Children and young people at this level are vulnerable and are characterised by the level and / or combination of needs within their families. They will have a number of high level additional needs which may escalate without a co-ordinated service intervention.
Where the range of needs becomes more complex, children and young people become increasingly vulnerable to poor outcomes and the intensity of service intervention will need to reflect this.In these situations families will need intensive or persistent services to address their needs and often this will involve a range of services with specialist expertise.
This will include children assessed as Children in Need (Section 17).
The LSCB Early Help & Eligibility Criteria and Levels of Need document provides illustrative examples of children with high level additional needs within this level. / IDENTIFICATION:
Children requiring protection are at likely/actual risk of significant harm, often associated with concerns of immediate likely or ongoing physical or sexual abuse or severe neglect.
They will have complex additional needs which have a significant impact upon their safety and wellbeing.
Children subject to a Child Protection Plan, Children in Care and Care Leavers will have needs at this level.
The LSCB Early Help & Eligibility Criteria and Levels of Need document provides illustrative examples of children in need of protection within this level.
RESPONSE:
Lead Practitioner and assessment is not required. / RESPONSE:
These children may require a Lead Professional if co-ordinated support services involving more than one agency is required.
An Early Help Assessment/CAF is not a requirement in order to access appropriate services, but might be helpful if it is felt that the child mayhave needs at a higher level.
Screening tools such as the ‘wheels’ from the Poole Early Help Assessment (PEHA) or pre-CAF checklist provide a useful framework for diagnosing needs. / RESPONSE:
In these cases an Early Help Assessment/CAF is required and a Lead Practitioner should be identified.
Assessment should lead to a multi-agency support plan overseen by the Lead Practitioner utilising Team Around the Child/Family meetings as needed.
Cases initially at this level should only be referred to CYPSC if:
1.An Early Help Assessment/CAF has been completed and Team Around the Child/Family and Lead Practitioner approach has been tried, but there has been deterioration and/or an event which has led to significant child in need concerns
2.An Early Help Assessment/CAF has been completed and the needs/risks are felt to be too great to be met via an integrated team around the child approach’. At this level consent to refer is required unless the child is considered to beat risk of significant harm
3.The issues are urgent or, in referrer’s professional opinion, the risks are such that they cannot wait for an integrated Team Around the Child/Family approach. The referrer must be able to articulate and evidence the perceived risks and concerns
Cases referred to CYPSC at this level will be screened. If the referral criteria are met, a Single Assessment and Intervention (S17) will be undertaken. / RESPONSE:
Referral to CYPSC for assessment via either the Multi-Agency Referral Form or using the Multi-Agency Referral front sheet and an Early Help Assessment/CAF.
The provision of an Early Help Assessment/CAF is not a pre-requisite if there are immediate significant safeguarding concerns or direct referral is from member of the public.
Referrals will be assessed using the Single Assessment and Intervention under S17 or as a S47 enquiry where significant harm is known or suspected.
(See LSCB Bournemouth Dorset andPoole Safeguarding Procedures)