Involving Schools in the use of Common Assessment and Lead Professional

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Involving Schools in the use of Common Assessment
and Lead Professional
Karen Bradshaw, Assistant Director Youth
Support Sophie Meldon, Multi Agency Team
Manager Sam Knox-Allman, Connexions
Personal Adviser
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• Where we are now?
• How we got there
• The fit with Targeted Youth Support
• The difference early intervention is making
• Opportunity for questions/sharing best practice
• Case study

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• Shropshire Youth Offer
• Universal and Targeted
• Places to go/things to do
• Volunteering
• IAG
• Involving young people
• 14-19 offer
• Integrated Service and Integrated Services

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Shropshire Youth Offer principles

• Build on established processes
• Build on existing structures
• Enhance services universal and targeted
• Build on existing strengths
• Build on partnerships

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• The Journey
• IRT April 2004 to ISA present day
• Embedding CAF and TAC through workforce reform
• Co-location of practitioners to integration
• Reconfiguration of Childrens Services
• Management structures in multi-agency teams
• Links with Targeted Youth Support

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Challenges

• Demystifying the role of Lead Professional
• Getting right people at the meeting decision
  makers
• Communicating the process of working together to
  the young person and family in a meaningful way
• Time/workload involved
• Lack of attendance at meetings by other
  practitioners
• Understanding the process and paperwork
• Its not my day job

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Overcoming Challenges

• Promoted the use of champions
• Emphasised benefits for practitioners
• Undertaken independent evaluations - ongoing
• Supported practitioners interpreting DCSF
  guidance
• Supported practitioners in managing caseloads
• Training and Communication
• Provided access to case management support or
  supervision
• Administration support

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Impact

• From April 2007 to March 2008
• 49 of CAFs completed (216) were for young people
  aged 12 up to 18
• 27 of all CAFs completed (120) by Schools
• 26 of all CAFs completed (116) by Youth Support
• 19 of all CAFs aged 12 and 13 (84 CAFs)
• 18 of all CAFs aged 14 and 15 (79 CAFs)
• 12 of all CAFs aged 16 and 17 (53 CAFs)
• 38 (168) female 58 (256) male 4 (17)
  unknown

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Impact

• 36 different agencies/service areas took on the
  role of the Lead Professional
• 32 of Lead Professionals (152) were undertaken
  by Schools
• 21 of Lead Professional Roles (97) were
  undertaken by Health
• 3 of Lead Professionals (13) were undertaken by
  Youth Support
• Referrals to Social Care and Safeguards decreased
  from 06/07 by 21 (1876 06/07 to 1476 07/08)
• Satisfactory outcomes were achieved for 148
  children and young people (69 of all closures)

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The TAC process can be instrumental in not only
supporting a young person and making sure they
succeed, but it can affect achievement in and out
of school, and be hugely supportive to the family
network.
Head teacher-Julia Thomas
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Lauren

• Motivated
• Engaged
• Self aware
• Career focussed

TAC
CAMHS
Key skills / ECDL
Happy and Healthy
OUTCOMES
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Lauren
Theyve helped me. Theyve done a lot for me.
If it wasnt for (LP) Id still be doing
nothing. Lauren
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Any Questions?
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Case study
Aidan end of Year 9 - predicted grades C and
above with ambition and motivation to gain
employment as a mechanic Year 10 October
Aidan is becoming increasingly disaffected with
school, he is challenging towards teachers and
engaging in anti-social behaviour in the
community. He has had a series of day
exclusions His parents have recently separated,
there has been a history of domestic abuse that
Aidan has witnessed
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Summary - Key messages

• Early Intervention works
• Young Person focussed
• Communication throughout is essential
• Nothing new - better structures more joined up
  not going it alone
• Every case is different

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Useful links

• www.everychildmatters.gov.uk
• www.shropshire.gov.uk/isa.nsf
• www.tda.gov.uk/remodelling/targetedyouthsupport.as
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