On this page: Information about the different teams plus links to useful documents.
Aims and Planning
The aim of the Common Assessment Framework (CAF) is to identify vulnerable children earlier and share information with the consent of parent/carers so that the strengths and needs of a child or young person can be met more accurately.
There is no longer use of the term LPG or Local Preventative Group and all meetings based on the CAF are now Team Around the Child (TAC) meetings;
There is no longer a reason to differentiate between numbers of needs but workers should focus on unmet needs that require a package of multi agency support;
The practitioner who undertakes the CAF is the lead professional until otherwise agreed at the TAC;
If a lead professional is confident to convene a Team Around a Child, they go ahead using their own administrators to support the process. All paperwork will need be sent electronically to the CAF/TAC Admin Team, at Sanford House for quality assurance and management reporting;
Practitioners needing help or advice regarding the CAF or the TAC process should speak to their managers/locality operational managers;
For Lead Professionals needing support with the TAC process there will continue to be dedicated days for each of the four localities. The attendees who are invited will be based on the needs identified for the child and family in the Common Assessment.
The Team Around the Child brings together organisations, which work with vulnerable children and their families to provide help and support through the agreement of a multi agency plan and the allocation of a Lead Professional.
The Team Around the Child develops a multi agency plan for children and young people who are vulnerable and where more than one agency is required to meet the needs of the child or young person. The basis of the joint plan is the common assessment and a multi-agency meeting, allocated services and a Lead Professional for the child/young person. An evaluation of the Team Around the Child groups has shown reduction in fixed term exclusions, prevention of offending and high satisfaction rates by parents.
This process does not replace the Child Protection or Children in Need Procedures. Children in need of protection should be referred directly to the Referral & Assessment Team in Social Care.
For further information, please see 'See the Adult See the Child' Joint Agency Protocol
CAF/TAC Admin Team
Sanford House
Sanford Street
Swindon
SN1 4QH
Tel: 01793 466697/466408 and 466434
E-mail: caf-tacadmin@swindon.gov.uk
Training
Swindon Common Assessment and Team Around the Child Training are available on a monthly rolling programme. Refresher training and training for lead professionals are also available.
To book places on any of these sessions please contact:
Integrated Working Guidance Brochure
This is available as a series of downloadable PDF files:
Main Brochure
Diagrams
Appendices
Leaflets
Integrated Locality Teams
Four Integrated Locality Teams were created on the 1st April 2008 covering the following areas of Swindon:
North, covering the Wards of Blunsdon, Highworth, Abbey Meads, Haydon Wick, Stratton St Phillip and Stratton St Margaret.
Central North, covering the Wards of Penhill, Gorse Hill and Pinehurst and the East part of Western (Moredon).
Central South, covering the Wards of Park, Walcot, Eastcott, Dorcan, Covingham and Nythe and the East part of Central.
South, covering the Wards of Shaw and Nine Elms, Freshbrook and Grange Park, Toothill and Westlea, the West part of Western - the West part of Central, Old Town and Lawn, Ridgeway, Wroughton and Chiseldon.
There is a fifth team for disabled children and young people based at the Saltway Centre.
Integrated Locality Teams Map
The teams consist of the following staff from different agencies:
Health visitors
School nurses
Education welfare officers
Community paediatricians
Educational psychologists
Speech and language therapists
Youth workers
Play workers
Primary behaviour support team
Connexions personal advisors
Primary mental health link workers
Administrative staff
Contraceptive and Sexual Health Team
Social Workers are to be linked to the teams liaising with the specialist social work teams.
Contact
Director for Integrated Children and Young People Services
Tel: 01793 463200
E-mail: stough@swindon.gov.uk
The Integrated Service Managers