Partnership Plus (TaF required)

Service Delivery

There is multi-agency assessment, reviewing and support – with a Lead Professional A partnership approach through a Team around the family (TaF) assessment with regular reviewing in place is required.

Note: Consent is required.

All assessments and action plans should be informed by the appropriate assessments within the Multi-Agency Assessment Toolkit

Description/Criteria

The child or family is identified as having two or more unmet needs that may be complex.

The needs are such that they require a coordinated multi agency response based on an outcome focused SMART action plan with a Lead Professional. These unmet needs may be complex and could be impacting on the safety and well-being of both the child and family.

Examples of Indicators at this level (this list is not exhaustive)

There is some evidence that issues are starting to effect the child’s physical, emotional, social or mental well being.

A child will have two or more additional needs such as:

  • Children in households where parents/carers are under stress which may affect a child’s well being
  • Children who are isolated with unsupported carers / or Young carers
  • Parents with mental/ physical health difficulties that impact on the child’s routine.
  • Children/parents who have a learning difficulty that impacts on the child’s routine.
  • Children with emerging behavioural difficulties
  • Children with inappropriate sexualised behaviour (Brook traffic light tool Green/some Orange or Red)
  • Children started to have poor school attendance/ Missed health/ educational appointments
  • A Child who has been excluded from school.
  • Self-harming behaviours that are escalating in severity, frequency or typology.
  • Children with emotional/ behavioural disorder
  • Child exposed to domestic abuse, but the impact and all risks to the child (especially from any ‘hidden males’) have been assessed and one or both parent/s are engaged in behaviour change and have the capacity and motivation to protect a child from harm
  • Beyond parental control or subject of anti-social behaviour order
  • Children at risk of / engaging in criminal activities
  • Antenatal support is required to ensure there is sufficient parental capacity.
  • Indicators of neglect or emotional harm but parent/s appear to have the capacity and motivation to make necessary changes and maintain this with ongoing support
  • Parents who demonstrate poor parenting capacity
  • Children who are living in households where there is substance misuse but there is capacity and motivation to protect the child from harm.
  • Children living in a household where there is parental or sibling mental health that has implications for the child’s well-being but no evidence of immediate harm.

N.B. If the Lead Professional is not an allocated Early Help and Prevention Service worker and the TaF becomes ineffective or there is a requirement for more targeted interventions, a referral to the Early Help and Prevention Service (EHP) via a referral to I-ART should be considered . In the event the Lead Worker is from EHP then the case should be considered for Step-Up to Children’s Social Care again via a referral to I-ART.

Team Around the Family (TAF)

Early Help and Prevention Service

The Early Help and Prevention Service works to help:

  • children, young people and their families with a range of needs
  • victims and perpetrators of domestic abuse

The team is made up of a variety of staff such as family intervention workers, youth workers, Team Around the Family advisors, independent domestic violence advisors and participation workers. Often our work requires support from a number of partner organisations and sometimes it can be for families who no longer need help from children’s social care.

The team support children, young people and their families when they have a number of issues that are impacting on them. This includes:

  • children, young people and adults affected by domestic abuse;
  • family members with a range of emotional health and wellbeing concerns;
  • young carers;
  • families with housing needs;
  • adults and young adults wanting to return to work or engage in work;
  • working with children and young people with challenging  behaviour;
  • support with parenting concerns;
  • young people who are not attending school or struggling to access training or education;
  • young people involved in risk taking or anti-social behaviour.

The service focuses on three key areas:

Our Early Help and Prevention Teams work in the following districts:

  • Northwich and Winsford
  • Ellesmere Port
  • Chester and Rural

If you have a concern or want to speak to someone for advice please get in touch with your district Early Help and Prevention Team:

Northwich and Winsford:             01244 972908

Ellesmere Port and Neston:        0151 337 4535

Chester and Rural:                           01244 977720

For more information about the Early Help and Prevention Service visit the early help webpages on Cheshire West and Chester Local Authority website or the West Cheshire Local Offer

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