Early Help and CART

Barbara Egan – Principal Manager IWSTSandra Douglas – Principal Manager CART

All our work in Halton for both Early Help and CART is set against the Halton Levels of Need Framework

Early Help

• Overall Aim – to identify problems early and provide the right support to prevent needs from escalating.

• Focus and Scope – Level 1 and Level 2 of the Halton Levels of Need Framework.

Early Help

• Established in Halton in April 2010.

• Key priority of both Halton Children’s Trust and Halton Safeguarding Children Board.

• Staged multi-agency approach to it’s development – next stage to be launched in September 2014.

Contact And Referral Team (CART)

• CART is the single front door for access to all Children’s Social Care services and advice. 

• Launched on 30th September 2013

• All contacts for advice and support from any agency or service, or from speaking to the family themselves, is recorded.

Contact And Referral Team (CART)• Information is considered alongside the Halton Levels of

Need Framework and guidance is offered in line with the level that the case meets:– At Level 3 – CART will direct the case appropriately to the appropriate

Social Worker in all circumstances – new cases; existing cases; or cases where family know but no current involvement.

– At Level 2 - CART will refer the case to the appropriate multi-agency support. Cases are discussed at weekly Working Together meetings when a lead agency will be identified to initiate a CAF

– At Level 1 – CART will refer to appropriate service(s) to meet the lower level additional needs.

Step Up and Step Down

When needs increase and statutory interventions become necessary (Step Up), there has to be a smooth transition to specialist services.

Equally, where needs reduce, Early Help plays a key role in ensuring a seamless transition down (Step Down) the continuum of need to ensure a successful move from statutory to preventative services, and prevent a Re- escalation in the future.

Multi-agency case study

Louise Evans, Health Visitor

• For each case study, consider, discuss and decide which level of the Framework would be most appropriate

• Options are• 0 – Universal Services• 1 – Universal Plus • 2 – Multi-agency Planning • 3 – Multi-agency Plan to Protect from Harm

Case Studies Exercise

Level of Need: Case Study 1

Case Study 1

0 Universal Services1 Universal Plus 2 Multi-agency:Planning 3 Multi-agency:

Plan to Protect from Harm

0 1 2 3

1 111

Case Study 1 (Answer)Level of need: 2 Support that could be offered:•CAF assessment needs to be undertaken•Voice of the child needs to be embedded•Any safeguarding concerns identified to be discussed with CART

Level of Need: Case Study 2

Case Study 2

0 Universal Services1 Universal Plus 2 Multi-agency Planning 3 Multi-agency:

Plan to Protect from Harm

0 1 2 3

1 111

Case Study 2 (Answer)Level of Need: 3Support that could be offered:•Single Assessment Process required on both the unborn child who may be at likely risk of significant harm due to mother being a late booker, no ante-natal care to date, exposure to drugs and an assessment of mother’s parenting capacity. 17yrs old is a child in need in her own right, will need support, advice re parenting, housing and impact of lifestyle on this unborn.

Level of Need: Case Study 3

Case Study 3

0 Universal Services1 Universal Plus 2 Multi-agency Planning 3 Multi-agency:

Plan to Protect from Harm

0 1 2 3

1 111

Case Study 3 (Answer)Level of Need: 2

Support that could be offered:•CAF assessment to be completed including gathering of information from school etc.•Voice of the child to be embedded into the CAF. •Any safeguarding concerns identified through the assessment or from professional’s discussions with CART.

Level of Need: Case Study 4

Case Study 4

0 Universal Services1 Universal Plus 2 Multi-agency Planning 3 Multi-agency:

Plan to Protect from Harm

0 1 2 3

1 111

Case Study 4 (Answer)

Level of Need: 3

Support that could be offered:

•Single Assessment required as the child has made a disclosure of abuse by a parent.

Level of Need: Case Study 5

Case Study 5

0 Universal Services1 Universal Plus 2 Multi-agency Planning 3 Multi-agency:

Plan to Protect from Harm

0 1 2 3

1 111

Case Study 5 (Answer)Level of Need: 3 Support that could be offered:•Child has made an allegation of inappropriate touching by friend of his father•History of the alleged perpetrator needs to be explored •Voice of the child need to be gathered during the assessment

Level of Need: Case Study 6

Case Study 6

0 Universal Services1 Universal Plus 2 Multi-agency Planning 3 Multi-agency:

Plan to Protect from Harm

0 1 2 3

1 111

Case Study 6 (Answer)

Level of Need: 1Support that could be offered: •Single agency support at this stage via school, directing family to local services and support agencies.