One-minute guides

The Children’s Resource Service (CRS) is Southampton Children’s Services 'Front Door'. The team is made up of social workers, early help advisors, information officers and social work managers. The Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH) function is part of the CRS. The Emergency Duty Team is also managed within the Front Door, as is our Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) service.

We believe that in order to ensure families get the right help at the right time we need to engage in meaningful and rich conversations with our colleague agencies referring into our service and with the families themselves. We believe that strong relationships are key to these conversations. Moving away from written referrals will allow space to ask questions, provide coaching and advice where needed, and prevent unnecessary delay of information being sent back and forth between agencies.

Using the Conversation Model of Practice, social workers take calls from professionals and members of the public. These calls will be to discuss whether a family could benefit from additional support, or where there are safeguarding concerns for a child. The CRS will have a conversation with the caller to understand what is happening with the child and their family and agree together what the next steps will be.

How does the team work

The Children’s Resource Service social workers are trained and skilled in analysing information to decide the best way forward to support the child and family. They use the strengths-based principles of Motivational Interviewing and Southampton’s Practice Framework of Systemic Practice to analyse information and inform decision making. This means that the social worker will ask the referrer a number of questions to understand the child and family’s current circumstances and needs.

It is the basis of effective partnership working with families that practitioners seek consent before ringing CRS unless in exceptional circumstances, where doing so would place a child at risk of significant harm.

What happens when a contact is taken

Following a conversation the social worker will take a contact and may make further enquires to establish what service is most appropriate for the child and their family. The contact may be sent as a referral to a social work team if we have information to suggest that the family require support through Children’s Social Care. Depending on the needs of the child and family, this will likely be through our Family Help Service or our Family Safeguarding Service. There also may be circumstances where a child and their family will receive support from our Jigsaw team if the child has a disability or our Young Person’s Service if there are concerns of child exploitation.

Where the social worker decides that social work involvement is not needed at this time, they may recommend that there are steps the referring agencies could put into place that could help the family at this time. This will be discussed with the referrer and a plan agreed.

The social worker will notify the referrer of the outcome of the contact with a written response.

What should members of the public do when they have safeguarding concerns

If you have safeguarding concerns, for information on what to do and key contacts visit report a concern about a child.

What is MASH?

The Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH) sits within the Children’s Resource Service (CRS) and includes professionals such social care, police, health, education, probation and housing. This network shares information when required in relation to children and their families. The Southampton Children’s Resource Service will gather this information with the consent of the parents in most situations to enable the team to make an informed decision on the right support required for the family. If there is a credible reason to believe that gaining consent may place a child at risk of suffering significant harm, consent may be overridden with the oversight of a CRS manager.

Key functions

• Sharing information: MASH facilitates sharing of information among agencies to assess harm and need effectively
• Analysis of harm: The information shared will be analysed by the sharing agencies and the CRS social worker and their manager to consider the impact on the child and the right help at the right time
• Appropriate level of intervention: By identifying issues early, MASH can prevent escalation and provide timely support to families
• Collaborative decision-making: Multi-disciplinary teams work together in considering the right support for the child and family at the right time, from the right person

Who’s involved?

• Social workers
• Police officers
• Representatives from health
• Representatives from housing
• Representatives from education
• Representatives from probation

How it works

The Children’s Resource Service will be considering a contact in their team respective to a child and their family. If it is felt that further information from partner agencies is required to help make the decision of what the right help is for the family, the social worker will gain consent from those with parental responsibility to gather further information. This may be targeted information gathering or full information gathering from all partners depending on the circumstances and the family’s views. If there are circumstances where the practitioner and their manager believe that seeking consent to gather that information will place a child at risk of being harmed, consent may be overridden. These circumstances will be rare and the decision making will be justified with a clear manager oversight.

The information gathered will be analysed to consider the right help for the family. This may lead to a strategy meeting under Section 47 of the Children Act 1989 if there are child protection concerns, this is a decision to be made by the social worker and their manager in Children’s Services. They will always consider the impact on the children and the presence or risk of significant harm to children in making that decision.

MASH improves outcomes for children and their families by ensuring a coordinated and efficient response and fostering better communication among agencies.

What is the LADO?

Statutory Guidance (WTSC 2018) states local authorities should have a Designated Officer (LADO) to oversee the investigation of allegations made against people who work or volunteer with children and young people when the following criteria are met:

The person has allegedly:

• Behaved in a way that has harmed a child, or may have harmed a child
• Possibly committed a criminal offence against or related to a child
• Behaved towards a child or children in a way that indicates they would pose a risk of harm to children
• Behaved or may have behaved in a way that indicates they may not be suitable to work with children

Criteria

The four criteria above are relevant for a person’s behaviour in the workplace, the community and in their home and social life.

What does the LADO do?

The LADO provides advice and guidance to employers and voluntary organisations, liaises with the police and other agencies, and has oversight of investigations to ensure a timely, thorough, and fair process.

If the above criteria are met, the LADO will advise, in discussion with the employer, manager or HR representative, on what action should be taken by the employer and whether the matter should be referred to Children's Social Care and/or the police. LADO may convene an allegation meeting to evaluate the risks and ensure that appropriate actions are taken to protect children and young people but also to support the individual themselves.

LADO does not typically have direct contact with the person subject to allegation or directly manage any investigations.

Who is this relevant to?

• Those who instruct, teach, train, coach and supervise children
• Those delivering care (physically helping children with eating, drinking, toileting, bathing, dressing, or washing, or mental health care)
• Those providing advice or guidance mainly (or wholly) for children's educational, physical, and emotional wellbeing
• Those moderating services used by children online
• Drivers of vehicles used by children, e.g. school buses
• Providers of foster care to children, even if it is a private arrangement

Or those working or volunteering (most likely to be in domiciliary roles) in the following specified establishments:

• An educational institution exclusively or mainly for the provision of full-time education of children
• A pupil referral unit
• A provider of nursery education
• A detention centre for children
• A children’s home or a home provided under the Children Act 1989
• A children’s centre
• Relevant childcare premises

What should you do?

Anybody who has concerns about a person working or volunteering with children should discuss their concerns with their manager, HR provider and/or their organisation's Designated Safeguarding Lead. This discussion should help to clarify whether the criteria for making a LADO notification has been met. If it is still unclear whether the criteria has been met after this discussion, contact the LADO for consultation.

All allegations or concerns about people working with children and young people should be reported to LADO via the LADO Notification Form within 24 hours of the incident taking place or concern being shared.

How to contact LADO

The LADO notification form, contact details and further information is available on Safeguarding children – Southampton LADO.

LADO will respond to any communication within 24 working hours.

What is the Emergency Duty Team?

The Emergency Duty team (EDT) sits within the Children’s Resource Service and includes advance practitioners and a practice manager. The team includes lone working, with the operating hours of EDT including 5pm-9am the following weekday, alongside 24hr support during weekends and all bank holidays.

The service responds to immediate emergencies relating to presenting risks to children, young people and their families within the city. This includes any children residing in the area who are open to another local authority.

The EDT service respond to immediate safeguarding concerns arising regarding children’s welfare, rather than responding to general enquires. The team offer relevant advice as required to the general public and partner agencies including, relevant information sharing as per safeguarding process and legal frameworks of GDPR and parental consent.

If there is a credible reason to believe that a child or young person may be placed at risk of suffering significant harm, consent of sharing information may be overridden with the oversight of a on call senior manager.

Key functions

• Sharing information: EDT facilitates sharing of information among agencies to assess harm and need effectively
• Analysis of harm: The information available and as shared by any partner agencies, will be analysed by the EDT Advanced practitioner and on call senior manager to consider presenting risks, impact on the child and their wider family
• Appropriate level of intervention: Based on presenting information and risks identified, level of support and intervention is determined focusing on proportionate and child focused decisions to be made
• Collaborative decision-making: Information shared between partner agencies however, can be limited due to operational working hours

Who’s involved?

• Advanced practitioners
• EDT work in partnership with: police, health, education, probation

How it works

The EDT worker will receive a contact in their team respective to a child and their family. Information gathering will take place including any partner agencies involved, to ensure appropriate risk assessment and analysis informs any decision making.

This may lead to advice being given, should child protection concerns arise a strategy meeting under Section 47 of the Children Act 1989 may be considered to fully explore the impact on the children and the presence or risk of significant harm to children in making that decision.

All contacts within EDT is recorded on a child’s file, if unknown to Children Services, according information is shared with Children Resource Service (CRS) to ensure appropriate response.

EDT improves outcomes for children and their families by ensuring a coordinated and efficient response and fostering better communication among agencies.

The primary scope for implementing Family Safeguarding within Southampton Children’s Services is to create a whole family approach to working with children and families that supports parents to create sustained change for themselves and for their family, and deliver the following five key components:

• Multi-disciplinary teams: Provide support to the whole family to address their needs including specialist domestic abuse, mental health, and substance misuse support
• Motivational Interviewing: A strengths-based framework to harness motivation to change, ensuring the same language is used across all professionals working with families
• The Family Safeguarding workbook: An innovative recording mechanism open to the Family Safeguarding teams allowing shared, multi-agency recording, analysis and decision making
• The Family Safeguarding programme: Provides a structure to working with the whole family and developing the family’s skills
• Family Safeguarding supervision: Involves all professionals to build a holistic view of needs and share responsibility for decision making

Family Safeguarding is built on core foundations of social work practice with shared values across the partnership workforce including:

• Supporting the development of stable relationships
• Having a shared model across agencies
• A focus on strengths and balance with need
• Promoting purposeful interactions

In the event that children continue to suffer In the event that children continue to suffer significant harm, despite our efforts to support the needs identified, we will consider any further steps necessary including making an application to courts if required, as we wholly endorse the Children Act 1989’s clear focus on the paramountcy of the child’s welfare.

What is Family Help?

We know it is better to provide focussed support when problems first emerge, rather than delivering a more costly statutory intervention when the needs have escalated. The right Family Help service at the right time can prevent emerging problems from getting worse and becoming deep seated or entrenched.

Through our Family Help model we aim to improve outcomes for children and families in Southampton and at the same time reduce the demands upon specialist and statutory, higher tier services.

When a child, young person or family needs something extra, Family Help can be an initial response offered by the local authority. Family Help builds an understanding with families to address extra needs and prevent situations from getting more difficult for children and young people. The aim of Family Help is to build on people's strengths and resources to manage their own dilemmas, resolve their own difficulties and prevent further problems in the future.

In Southampton, most children, young people and family’s needs are met by universal services (services that are available to everyone). For those children and families who need some additional help, our Family Help Services will provide support and expertise to the child and family. Our teams are made up of social workers and family practitioners to provide families with a mix of expertise and support and we can support families through either the children in need or early help pathway.

A family hub is a place for children and families to enjoy stay and play sessions, find a quiet space to breastfeed babies, get advice on infant feeding, get healthcare support and much more. Staff within the hubs can help you find the information you need from employment to healthcare support. There are seven family hub locations across city each providing a range of sessions and support for local families

What help can I get at a family hub

There are a range of services available. Some are only available to those with the greatest needs, but some services are available to any family, child or young person who needs them. This includes baby health clinics and adult education classes.

Services offered include:

• Learning through play in our “come and play” sessions
• Health advice from midwives, health visitors, other health professionals, and health clinics
• Family support
• Information and guidance on breast feeding, health and nutrition
• Support for families with children with additional needs
• Speech and language support
• Advice and support for parents including dad’s groups and young parents
• Training courses including parenting classes, ESOL, money management, healthy cooking and more
• Information for parents on childcare, volunteering, training, and job opportunities
• Quick and easy access to wider services
• Basic bank vouchers

How do I get help from a family hub?

You can walk in during opening times, phone us, or contact us via email familyhub@southampton.gov.uk. Wherever you live in the city you will be able to get help from one of our seven family hubs.

Family hubs – what's on

We have a variety of activities and learning programmes available across the hubs. This includes stay and play sessions and parent support groups, as well as breastfeeding support groups and dads and male carers play sessions.

To take part in the activities available in your area you will first need to register. You can do this by completing the registration form below or you can also just pop into your local hub. Whether you're a parent to be, a mum, dad, grandparent, or carer – whoever you are, you'll be welcomed.

For more information please take a look at Family hubs.

Jigsaw is a specialist integrated service for children with complex disabilities, commissioned by Southampton City Council and Southampton City Clinical Commissioning Group for when the child’s Special Educational Need or Disability (SEND) has a significant impact on their functioning in all aspects of their daily living, ability to self-help or in relation to the risk that their behaviour may present to themself or other people.

The service works with children with:

• Moderate, severe and profound learning disabilities and a complex health condition (which may be autism and challenging behaviour)
• Complex health conditions that require packages of care under children’s continuing care arrangements
• Dual-sensory impairments

The team is made up of:

• Specialist disability social workers
• Family engagement workers
• Personal advisor/Preparation for Adulthood support worker
• Statutory occupational therapists
• Learning disability nurses
• Children’s nurse
• Jigsaw/CAMHS nurse
• Clinical psychologist
• Assistant psychologist
• Health occupational therapist
• Speech and language therapist
• Family therapist
• Transition nurse specialist
• Community worker
• Short Breaks and personal budget officer

Jigsaw collaborates with professionals from within the service and also with other agencies to empower and support children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities and their families to ensure they are safe, looked after, to improve their quality of life and realise their individual potential. The team supports parents and carers to resolve any difficulties or issues that have arisen and to develop strategies to enable them to improve the child’s daily lived experience.

The parent/carers and siblings of these children often will require a specialist assessed Short Break from their caring responsibilities to enable them to continue to meet the needs of their child with Special Educational Needs, Disability or Complex Health Condition(s) and engage in opportunities that would be usual for their counterparts whose children/siblings did not present with the same level of need. This is achieved via a Statutory Social Work Assessment under Section 17 of the Children Act (1989) to enable the holistic situation in the household to be understood in terms of how the SEND impacts on the child themselves, their parent/carers and siblings. For some children whose safety is compromised we may complete investigations under Section 47 of the Children Act 1989, initiate Care Proceedings and work with some children who become Looked After for the duration of their childhood.

The service works closely with young people and their families and colleagues in adult services to support the transition of young people into adulthood. This also ensures that there is minimal disruption during the handover between children and adult services, and that the young people are supported to develop independent living skills, to optimise their health, educational and training opportunities and to make decisions about their future living and care arrangements.

Jigsaw includes the Statutory Occupational Therapy service, providing support to children with disabilities and their families within their homes. This can be in relation to completing minor or major adaptations to the property, re-housing, prescribing equipment to meet their health and care needs, to make the home environment a safer place and to ensure that they and their family members are not injured if they need to be moved and handled.

Jigsaw also collaborates with other teams within the local authority working with Children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities to provide consultation, advice, information, guidance, support and interventions, tailored to the individual needs of the child and their parents.

What is Southampton Fostering Service?

Fostering is where a child or young person between the age of 0-18, who has become looked after, lives with a foster carer in a family home. This is often temporary or short-term but is sometimes a long-term arrangement.

Southampton Fostering Service believes that a child looked after by Southampton City Council should be able to enjoy the same quality of life and opportunities as any other child. Southampton Fostering Service recognises that children’s needs are best met by their family, where it is safe to do so, and is committed to placing children who are not able to remain in their own family in an appropriate alternative family placement wherever possible.

There are two main workstreams:

Recruitment – this focuses on the recruitment, assessment and approval of mainstream foster carers. This is covered by both the Business Development Officer and the Fostering Team Manager with the lead for assessment. A dedicated Fostering Engagement Worker is also available to support those prospective foster carers going through the assessment process.

Support and Compliance – the day-to-day support and supervision of mainstream and fully approved connected foster carers. All team managers are responsible for ensuring that all foster carers are supported, supervised and are compliant with the Fostering Regulations and the National Minimum Standards for Fostering.

How do you become a foster carer

People are encouraged to register their interest in becoming a foster carer.

People over the age of 21 may apply to become a foster carer and you must have a spare room. Interest is welcomed from all members of the community, regardless of relationship status, employment situation, class, gender, sexuality, culture, ethnicity, or religion.

There is an approval process which starts with a conversation about fostering and is followed by a home visit, training, preparation and if appropriate, the formal assessment process and statutory checks.

If approved, we will provide support and guidance from our highly experienced team of fostering staff, and access to a wide range of specialist support services and training to develop your skills, knowledge and expertise.

Our ambition is to be a ‘fostering friendly’ city and to this end we continue to invest in the service and work with businesses and organisations across the city to promote fostering and value our fostering community.

Types of fostering in Southampton

Short-term and emergency

Short term foster carers look after children or young people for a limited period. Short term can be anything from a few days up to two years. Emergency (same day) foster carers are contacted during the daytime and in the evening to provide care to children

Long-term

Long-term fostering is when a foster carer makes a commitment to provide a child with a foster placement throughout their minority for as long as is needed.

Respite care

Respite care provides an approved foster carer with a break from fostering and will be undertaken as part of the child’s Care Plan.

Parent and child

This is a specialist area of fostering whereby a parent or parents and their child lives with the foster carer.

Kinship care

These are placements provided by people already known to the child or young person such as a family member or friend.

Step Across

These are specialist carers who are able to offer an enhanced package of support to children who are stepping across from residential provisions.

Contact Southampton Fostering Service

You can find contact details to enquire about fostering or ask other questions about fostering on enquire about fostering.

Pathways Through Care service offers support for children and young people when permanence cannot be met living with their birth families. The service is equipped to support and care for young people from when their care plans are confirmed right through to early adulthood.

The team

The team is made up by committed and resilient professionals who support children and young people. There are social workers for our children in care, personal advisors for our young people who are care experienced and the two cohorts of professionals work together to support young people from 16 in their journey towards independence. Working directly with children and their families are family coaches. The team is also supported by team standard co-ordinators and recently added members to the service are therapeutic leads who offer another lens and level of support to our children and young people. All of these team members are supported by experienced social worker team and service managers.

Our focus

• Meaningful relationships
• Trauma-informed practice
• Motivational interviewing
• Systemic and reflective practice
• Identity and sense of belonging
• Partnership with children and their families
• Reunification for children where it is safe and appropriate to do so
• Life-long links for our care leavers

What is a Family Group Conference?

A Family Group Conference (FGC) is your meeting and provides an opportunity for you, your children, and members of your wider family network to come together and make a plan which looks for solutions to the difficulties you are facing by developing your own plan. Your family knows more about your family unit and situation than professionals and are therefore often best placed to make a plan that suits your family.

When can a Family Group Conference help?

• Supporting families that may need a little extra support practically day to day
• Exploring alternative carers for children within the family unit, providing respite when needed or longer term arrangements
• Improving school attendance
• A decision must be made about where a child should reside
• Supporting families, when one or more family members have a mental or physical support need
• Arranging safe contact for the child between family members

Benefits of a Family Group Conference for your child and family

• Increased support for the child through extended family
• The voice of the child is heard
• Possibility of locating a family member to care for a child is significantly increased
• Child’s connection to family is maintained and strengthened
• Wider family gains knowledge about the situation
• Opportunity to work more closely with supportive professionals
• Family connections are maintained and strengthened
• Family experience, strengths and knowledge are valued and respected
• Opportunity to use your knowledge and expertise to create a plan that will work for your family

How is the Family Group Conference meeting arranged?

You will be referred for an FGC by a referrer (this could be a social worker or a support worker for example) and they will explain the FGC process to you including that having an FGC is voluntary. The process is overseen by an FGC coordinator who will manage your meeting and you will be given assistance to help you decide who you would like to invite to the meeting and when and where it will be held. Where there are issues relating to domestic abuse for example, then a split FGC can be held.

What is a Family Group Conference?

A Family Group Conference (FGC) provides an empowering opportunity for parents, children and members of the wider family network to get together and make a plan using a family-centred approach for their child which addresses problems identified by professionals. It allows families to explore their own solutions to the difficulties they are facing by taking a lead role in the planning process. The process is overseen by an FGC coordinator who will manage the conference process.

Expectations of the referrer

• The process will need to be fully explained to the family prior to a referral being made and that the Family Group Conference is voluntary. The family will choose who they would like to attend their meeting
• The FGC can be a split conference, where two meetings are held. For example, if there are concerns relating to domestic abuse
• It is important to understand that the child or young person are welcome to be part of the meeting (if appropriate) so their voice can be heard
• A small number (3-4) clear questions will need to be formulated for the family to discuss in their meeting
• To attend the FGC for the duration of the meeting which could be up to three hours
• To review the plan with the family when needed

The Family Group Conference process

The meeting will be arranged in a neutral venue such as in a local family hub and will take part in three stages:

Information sharing: The referrer and service providers will provide up-to-date and relevant information about current concerns about the child or family to the family members at the meeting. Families will have a chance to ask questions at this stage.

Private family time: The family have time on their own to evaluate the information they have received and consider the questions that the referrer has posed and come up with a family plan that addresses the concerns raised. The referrer and the FGC Coordinator will be nearby to facilitate any questions that may occur.

Sharing and agreeing the plan: The referrer and FGC Coordinator will re-join the meeting to listen to the family plan, the plan should be agreed, if possible, unless it places the child or young person at risk.

What is a Family Group Conference?

It is a meeting with you, your family including other relatives and close friends, as well as professionals who care and are concerned about you. Your family will come up with a plan that they feel will benefit you both now and in the future.

Why might l need a Family Group Conference?

You might find attending school a challenge, so a plan could be put in place so your family can ensure that you do attend with their support. The person you live with, could benefit from some extra help from family, for example to make sure that where you live is clean and safe for you and a plan can be put in place for this to happen. You may need some help managing challenges in the community.

Will l be able to come to the meeting?

Yes, you will be invited to the meeting, perhaps with any sisters or brothers you may have. We want your voice to be heard! We would like to hear what makes you happy, if you have concerns and if there is anything you would like to change. You will be supported at the meeting by someone you know. You can decide how much of the meeting you wish to stay for. You may feel that you might not be listened to or are worried about talking in front of others, however you will be supported and looked after throughout.

Who arranges the meeting?

The meeting is arranged by an independent person called a coordinator. They will meet you, on your own or with a safe adult, and your family before the meeting and together you will decide when the meeting takes place and where and who should be invited.

Who else will be at the meeting?

Your social worker, if you have one will be there along with other people that know you well, for example, your school, your youth worker along with your family members.

What happens at the meeting?

You will all be welcomed by the coordinator and your social worker and others that know you will talk about the concerns and difficulties that you are facing. If you attend the meeting, then you will be able to talk about how you are feeling. You and your family will then have some time in private to talk over how your family can help and make a positive plan where your family can all support you.

Remember, you do not have to come to the meeting and that is OK, there are other ways that your voice can be heard, you can write your wishes and feelings down for example, or share these with a safe person, and these can be shared at the meeting.

The Young People’s Service is a hardworking and innovative service, committed to supporting young people who are impacted by contextual safeguarding concerns including peer-to-peer violence and criminality, who are suffering or at risk of suffering significant harm because of exploitation, and for whom there is a risk of entry to care.

This area of work has high levels of demand and there is high level of complexity in the city.

The team work hard to find solutions to complex challenges such as young people encountering coercion or violence, struggling to access education or training, or recovering from traumatic experiences.

This team works develops creative intervention plans, and fulfils the statutory social work function.

Young People’s Service works closely with colleagues from the Inclusion and Prevention team, and from the Youth Justice Service, to ensure the delivery of high-quality trauma-informed responses to young people experiencing a range of adolescent issues.

Young People’s Service engages in extensive partnership working with the police, voluntary and community sector, schools, Violence Reduction Unit and health colleagues.

Who are the Building Bridges team?

Building Bridges is a well-established team who work with the aim of creating stability and enabling more children to live within their families.

Building Bridges is at the forefront of delivering the council’s ‘Building for Brilliance’ strategy including key priorities such as:

• Maintaining children aged 7-13 within their families
• Increasing placement stability within internal foster placements or kinship carers
• Supporting reunifications for children living in residential care
• Enhancing Intensive Surveillance and Support packages (ISS) – Youth Justice
• Supporting ‘Edge of Care’ work across Children’s Services

What role does a Building Bridges worker have?

Building Bridges workers are co-allocated as a secondary worker to undertake bespoke interventions based on the presenting needs of the family – this could include but not limited to protective parenting, non-violent resistance, positive parenting, routines and boundaries, restorative family work, Dyadic Developmental Practice (DDP) and Playful, Acceptance, Curiosity, Empathy (PACE) parenting.

The purpose of the Building Bridges team wherever possible is to deliver interventions in a planned and considered way. Whilst they may support crisis situations with a view to stabilising, change-work needs to be prioritised for the work to be effective at reducing risk and facilitating sustained change.

Building Bridges workers attend multi-agency meetings and reviews relating to an allocated family. They will contribute verbally and in writing to form part of multi-agency plans, such as ICPCs/RCPCs/ROTHs.

Building Bridges workers will write a review intervention report at the end of the intervention period or as agreed if the intervention is extended.

What does a caseload look like for a Building Bridges worker?

Building Bridges workers are expected to have a caseload of approximately six families at a single time (full-time equivalent) – this could slightly increase or decrease depending on the intensity and complexity of a caseload. They will visit at the agreed frequency and share with managers/case-holders if this is not being achieved.

Building Bridges workers have a smaller caseload than others within the service to ensure they have the availability to offer ‘intensive’ and ‘specialist’ support, such as visiting a family several times a week.

Who manages the Building Bridges team?

Building Bridges workers are managed by either the assistant team manager or the team manager. Building Bridges workers receive five weekly supervisions from their manager, and this is recorded on Care Director – this should help inform the case-holding teams of the progress of interventions.

What hours does the Building Bridges team work?

Building Bridges workers are contracted to work between 8:30am-5pm Monday-Thursday and 8:30am-4:30pm on Fridays. Building Bridges Family Practitioners will be flexible to service need as part of planned interventions (such as supporting or observing bedtime routines or if a parent works) and as agreed by their respective manager.