Workshop 6

Service Allocation Meetings

in practice

Debbie Leadbetter

CAF Manager

Development

• CAF was introduced across Warrington through pilots at various locations

• Secondary schools x 2• Primary school• Children’s Centre

• 3 of 4 pilot sites included a meeting where professionals could discuss assessments and seek advice from other professionals

• These ‘SAMs’ built on current good practice at the chosen secondary schools - MARD

Pilot findings• Information shared without consent

• Few actions taken

• Poor attendance from partner services and reluctance to address the issues

• Professionals, particularly school staff, appreciated the chance to seek advice and guidance from other professionals

• Primary school without SAM pilot did less CAFs than other areas

• Unsure of process and support available from other services

Service Allocation Meetings

• Introduced across all areas in 2006

• Designed to consider CAF assessments – ensures that consent is in place to share information

• Area managers from key agencies, including Social Care, Health, Integrated Youth Support Services, Inclusion and Children’s Centres attend

• There is one SAM in each area every 6 weeks

• CAF team administers and chairs each meeting

Service Allocation Meetings

• Introductions

• CAF assessor to present assessment

• Other agencies to ask questions and suggest support options

• Actions agreed• CAF assessor or other professional to inform

family of outcome from meeting

• Review previous minutes / cases – tracking.

Questions

Further information about SAMs can be found online at:

www.warrington.gov.uk/everychildmatters/caffsm/service_alloc_meetings