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7.4.5 Protocol for Wakefield District Children's Centres

This protocol is new - January 2011. It should be read in its entirety.


Contents

  1. Vision
  2. Stakeholders to this protocol
  3. Rationale for the Protocol
  4. Protocol in Application
  5. Wake field District Children's Centres


1. Vision

Services will share information with and register all 0-5 year old children across Wakefield with their local Children's Centre to ensure vulnerable children and their families have access to relevant support services within their local communities, particularly;

  • Children subject to child protection plans
  • Looked after children
  • All foster placements (0-5 Years)
  • Instances of domestic violence where children are in the household


2. Stakeholders to this protocol

  • Wakefield MDC Family Services
  • Wakefield District PCT
  • Safe @ home
  • Voluntary and third sector providers of services to persons in need and their carers


3. Rationale for the Protocol

Strategic Drivers

Nationally 'Think Family' means reforming systems and services for vulnerable children, young people and adults to ensure services work together to:

  • "Identify families at risk to provide support at the earliest opportunity
  • Meet the full range of needs within the family they are supporting or working with
  • Strengthen the ability of family members to provide care and support"

Information sharing is key to delivering better and more efficient public services that are coordinated around the needs of children, young people and families.


4. Protocol in Application

Safeguarding

This protocol operates within the broader framework of safeguarding of children, young people, adults and older people covered by:

  1. Information Sharing

There are existing agreements to sharing information across agencies that inform this protocol:

  • Calderdale, Kirklees and Wakefield-wide Interagency Information Sharing Protocol Framework For Sharing Information
  • Tier2 -Information Sharing Agreement For Wakefield Safeguarding Adults Inter-Agency Services covering; Wakefield and District PCT, Mid Yorkshire Hospital Trust, South Yorkshire Hospital Trust, Wakefield MDC, West Yorkshire Police, West Yorkshire Probation, Wakefield District Housing
  • Tier 2-Information Sharing Agreement for Wakefield's Children and Young People's Inter-agency Services

All service users have the right to refuse consent to share information.  CAF describes in detail the procedure for obtaining consent from parents and Children including action to determine Gillick Competence in a child.

Stakeholders identified above will:

  1. Provide a named team contact to ensure clear communication and promote joint working.
  2. Ensure that any child 0-5 years old or parent with a child 0-5 years old, supported by the stakeholders' service will be registered with their local Children's Centre (see end of document for contact details).
  3. Ensure that clear and accurate quarterly data for the number of 0-5 year olds that are residing in the Wakefield District and in each Children's Centre reach area that meet the criteria above.
  4. Where appropriate work in partnership with Children's Centre staff to support children and their families.
  5. Provide representation where appropriate to Common Assessment Framework (CAF) meetings.
  6. Provide attendance at quarterly performance review meetings with the Children's Centre, to ensure impact and outcomes are measured and recorded.
  7. Provide regular representation at Children's Centre partnership boards to ensure more efficient joint planning of the Children's Centre service.
  8. Where appropriate, support Children's Centre Open Days,
    One Stop Shops and other similar events.
  9. Ensure Children's Centre staff are invited to appropriate meetings e.g. CAF, Child Protection(CP), Core Groups, Child in Need, and sharing information/reports as appropriate.

Children's Centres will:

  1. Provide a named contact to ensure clear communication.
  2. Positively promote signpost families from specific support to relevant agencies.
  3. Support families where appropriate and subject to waiting lists a 1-1 family support service using Wakefield Children's Centres referral paperwork. 
  4. Support stakeholders where appropriate to undertake joint assessments.
  5. Where appropriate attend CAF meetings and other meetings which affect families the Children's Centre is involved with (e.g. Child Protection Conference, Child in Need meetings and court proceedings).
  6. Attendance at quarterly performance review meetings with their named contact to ensure impact and outcomes are measured and recorded.
  7. Where appropriate, support Children's Centre Open Days,
    One Stop Shops and other similar events.


6. Wakefield District Children's Centres

  • Acorn Children's Centre at Ackton Pastures Primary School, Castleford 01977 723038
  • Airedale Children's Centre, Airedale, Castleford 01977 724 044
  • Apple Tree Children's Centre, St Peter's and Clifton CE (VC) Primary, Horbury, Wakefield  01924 270516
  • Ash Tree Children's Centre at Smawthorne Henry Moore Primary School, Castleford 01977 723012
  • Butterflies Children's Centre at Newlands Primary School, Normanton 01924 307835
  • Castle Children's Centre, Sandal Wakefield 01924 303211
  • Cedars Children's Centre, Hemsworth 01977 722215
  • Forest Wood Children's Centre at Mackie Hill J&I School, Crigglestone 01924 252574
  • Havercroft Children's Centre at Havercroft J&I School Primary School, Havercroft, Wakefield 01226 726478
  • Little Owls Children's Centre at Common Road Infants School, South Kirkby, Pontefract 01977 723868
  • Maypole Children's Centre at Gawthorpe J&I School, Gawthorpe, Ossett 01924 302990
  • Michaelmas Children's Centre at St Michaels CE (VC) NIJ School, Flanshaw, Wakefield 01924 303747
  • Oakhill Children's Centre at Girnhill Infants School, Featherstone 01977 722680
  • Orchard Head Children's Centre at Orchard Head J, I and Nursery School, Pontefract 01977 723466
  • Pinmoor Children's Centre at Pinders Primary School, Eastmoor Wakefield 01924 302646
  • Pomfret Children's Centre at Chequerfield Infants School, Pontefract 01977 722 644
  • Sharlston Children's Centre at Sharlston Community School, Sharlston, Wakefield 01977 303930
  • Small Steps Children's Centre at Wrenthorpe Primary School, Wrenthorpe Wakefield 01924298995
  • Stanley Children's Centre at Stanley St. Peter's CE (VC) Primary and Nursery School, Stanley Wakefield 01924 303181
  • Sunbeam Children's Centre, Lupset Wakefield 01924 302333
  • Sunflower Children's Centre, Moorthorpe (J&I) Primary School, Moorthorpe Pontefract. 01977 723872
  • Sycamores Children's Centre at Simpson's Lane J&I School, Knottingley 01977 722527
  • Upton Children's Centre at Upton Primary School, Upton, Pontefract 01977 723835

End