Foreword

In April 2002, the Western Area

Children and Young People’s

Committee published its second

Children’s Services Plan, for the

period 2002-2005. The Children’s

Services Plan 2002-2005 has

described, in some detail, how need

has been assessed, reports agreed,

inter-agency strategic objectives,

and identifies a number of key result

areas related to these objectives.

This publication is intended to be a

working document. It provides an

Executive Summary of Children’s

Services Plan 2002-2005, and an

Action Plan – specifying how the

strategic objectives can be taken

forward in the year 2002-2003, and

how progress can be measured.

The Action Plan will be used by the

Western Area Children and Young

People’s Committee to monitor and

assess progress, and will be the

basis on which the Children’s

Services Plan is reviewed annually.

The Western Area Children and Young People’s Committee welcomes comments, views, and opinions about the

Children’s Services Plan.

If you wish to convey your views about:

- content

- how the information is laid out

- what is missing

- ideas for further development

- criticisms

- how the Plan can be improved

please contact:

Eamon McTernan

Principal Social Worker (Children’s Services Planning)

Western Health and Social Services Board

Area Board Headquarters

15 Gransha Park

Clooney Road Telephone: 028 71 860086

Derry BT47 6FN Fax: 028 71 860311

e-mail: emcternan@whssb.n-i.nhs.uk

The Children’s Services Plan, as well as a range of other planning documents and information about need and supply in

respect of services for children and young people in the West, is available in the Western Area Children and Young

People’s Committee Website at:

www.wacy-pc.org

 

Contents

Page

1. Children’s Services Plan 2002-2005 – Executive Summary

1.1 Needs Led Planning for Children and Young People 1

1.2 Model for Assessing Need 1

1.3 Key Planning Themes 3

1.4 Structure 4

2. Action Plan

2.1 Developing and Monitoring the Plan 5

2.2 Children and Young People Who Are in Public Care 8

2.3 Youth Justice 13

2.4 Children and Young People Ceasing to be Looked After 17

2.5 Children in Need of Protection 19

2.6 Children with a Disability 21

2.7 Services for Children with Emotional, Behavioural, Psychiatric and Psychological Needs 26

2.8 Children and Young People who are Homeless 31

2.9 Information Support 32

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Children’s Services Plan 2002-2005 1 April 2002

1. Children’s Services Plan 2002-2005

1.1 Needs Led Planning

for Children and Young People

The mission of the Western Area Children and Young

People’s Committee is “to achieve maximum possible

coordination between all agencies and groups, of their

strategic planning for children in Need in the WHSSB

area, led by assessment of need”.

(Children’s Services Plan 1999-2002, p12)

This approach to planning is defined by two key

questions:

(a) How are our children doing?

(NOT: How are our services doing?)

(b) Can services be built around children?

(NOT: Can we get the children to the services?)

The Children’s Services Plan is:

¾ A three year strategic plan for children in Need

¾ A statutory requirement (Children Services Planning

Order 1998)

¾ The result of inter-agency collaboration and

cooperation

¾ Committed to consultation with all stakeholders

¾ Subject to annual, published, reviews.

1. Children’s Services Plan 2002-2005

1.1 Needs Led Planning

for Children and Young People

The mission of the Western Area Children and Young

People’s Committee is “to achieve maximum possible

coordination between all agencies and groups, of their

strategic planning for children in Need in the WHSSB

area, led by assessment of need”.

(Children’s Services Plan 1999-2002, p12)

This approach to planning is defined by two key

questions:

(a) How are our children doing?

(NOT: How are our services doing?)

(b) Can services be built around children?

(NOT: Can we get the children to the services?)

The Children’s Services Plan is:

¾ A three year strategic plan for children in Need

¾ A statutory requirement (Children Services Planning

Order 1998)

¾ The result of inter-agency collaboration and

cooperation

¾ Committed to consultation with all stakeholders

¾ Subject to annual, published, reviews.

 

 

 

1.2 Model for Assessing Need

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Level 1 refers to those services which are available to all

children – Health Care, Education and a range of other services

provided in communities.

Level 2 represents services to children who have some

additional needs. Services at Level 2 are characterized by

referral, and full parental consent and negotiation. Examples

would be Behaviour Support, Parenting Support, additional

Educational services, etc.

Level 3 represents support to families or individual children

and young people where there are chronic or serious problems.

It is provided through a complex mix of services which usually

need to work together in order to provide the best support.

Level 4 represents support to families or individual children

and young people where the family has broken down

temporarily or permanently when the young person may, for

example, be in Care, in Youth Custody, or as a Hospital In-

Patient due to disability or mental health problems.

1.3 Key Planning Themes

‰ Promoting Social Inclusion

ƒ Targets for all children should also be the targets

for vulnerable children

ƒ Vulnerable children require additional services to

meet these targets

ƒ Additional services have to be built on existing

services, around the needs of the child

ƒ Requires ‘cross-cutting’ planning at local level

ƒ ‘Cross-cutting’ planning at local level requires

coordination at departmental level

‰ Equality and Human Rights

ƒ Evidence of impact of Equality principles on

strengths and outcomes

‰ Needs Led Planning and Research

ƒ Development of the Information Base

ƒ Enhanced systems for consultation

ƒ Outcome focus

Integrated Family Support Strategy

 

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Composition of

Western Area Children & Young People’s Committee

• Director of Social Care, WHSSB - CHAIR

• WHSSB (Health & Social Care) 2

• Education 1

• Probation 1

• Juvenile Justice Board (NIO) 1

• Housing 1

• Westcare Business Services (Training) 1

• Community Trusts 2

• Police 1

• Voluntary Sector 3*

• Community Sector 3*

• Ethnic Minority 1*

• Children’s Services Planner 1

(2 Voluntary Sector, 3 Community Sector, and 1 Ethnic Minority

place still to be filled)

 

1.4 Children’s Services Planning Structure

 

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2.1 Developing and Monitoring the Plan

 

Strategic Objective: The Western Area Children and Young People’s Committee will promote and develop the Children’s Services Plan over the

period 2002-2005, concentrating on achieving progress in the areas of Promoting Social Inclusion, Equality and Human Rights, Supporting Needs Led

Planning and Resourcing, and Developing an Integrated Approach to Family Support.

 

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2.2 Children and Young People Who Are In Public Care

Strategic Objective: To develop a range of services for children and young people in public care which will increase the capacity of the WHSSB and

Trusts to comprehensively assess their needs, and ensure that Care Plans can draw upon appropriate placements and other support and treatment services.

 

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2.3 Youth Justice

Strategic Objective: To increase the range and coherence of services in the Western area (along the continuum from prevention to rehabilitation) which

will promote the social inclusion of children and young people who are at different levels of risk of offending, or who have been adjudicated upon by the

Courts.

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2.4 Children and Young People Ceasing to be Looked After

Strategic Objective: To develop a range of services, along the continuum set out in the Hardiker Model (1992), which will be available to children,

young people and their families when children and young people cease to be Looked After and return to the care of their families, or make the transition

from Care to live independently in their communities. This range of services should be needs led, based on the recommendations of the First Key Report,

and the Leaving Care Bill, and be delivered within a wider Family Support Strategy.

 

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2.5 Children in Need of Protection

Strategic Objectives:

• To ensure that children are protected from physical, sexual and emotional abuse and from neglect.

• To ensure that preventative services are co-ordinated in a way that the greatest impact and effect can be secured for the benefit of families in the

Western area.

• To further develop an outcome based approach to child protection involving all Agencies.

In pursuance of the achievement of the above stated objectives, it will be necessary for the Agencies involved to continue to strive to attain a balance

between promotional and safeguarding activities. It will also be important for users, both children and parents, to have a voice.

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2.6 Children with a Disability

Strategic Objective: To develop a range of services in the Western area, which build on children’s strengths, provide integrated and linked services,

involve those who use the services, support families and carers, and promote the rights of disabled children and young people.

 

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2.7 Services For Children With Emotional, Behavioural, Psychiatric, and Psychological Needs

Strategic Objective: To develop services for children and young people with emotional, behavioural, psychiatric and psychological difficulties through

improved monitoring and assessment of need: closer co-operation with Primary Care and other disciplines; establishment of enhanced services for children

and young people with acute needs; promotion/strengthening of the range of options available to children and young people at other levels of need.

 

 

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2.8 Children and Young People Who Are Homeless

Strategic Objective: To coordinate and put in place development plans, through a partnership model of inter-agency working, in order to provide the

range of housing provision and necessary support services which have been identified in the Children’s Services Plan, and to continue to monitor the

needs of children, families and young people who are vulnerable because of homelessness through statistical monitoring and consultation. The policy

context of ‘Supporting People’ will be emphasised.

 

 

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2.9 Information Support

Strategic Objective: To further develop the information base for Children’s Services Planning, to achieve improved targeting of need, monitoring of

supply and evidence of outcomes for children and young people.