Presentation to FRC Forum 8 May 2013 Bill ODea

Always Children First

The CFA - Context and Service Delivery

The formation of the CFA is occuring within a national policy context which requires all who provide services to children and families to co-ordinate and deliver services in an integrated way to help improve outcomes for children and families. It is also occuring within a national policy context that places increased emphasis on an evidence led approach to prevention and early intervention. The development and implementation of a single, transparent, consistent and accountable National Service Delivery Framework (NSDF), focused on improving outcomes for children is a key component of the CFA.

Within the NSDF, it is envisaged that providing support to children and families is not the exclusive responsibility of Children and Family Services. The statutory services such as Health, Education, an Garda Siochana, Local Authorities together with the Voluntary and Community Sector all have a role and responsibility. The NSDF seeks to deliver services within a co-ordinated, multi-disciplinary and multi-agency framework, from universal and community services through to secondary and tertiary level services.

The NSDF - How Will It Work

It will have an integrated system of childrens services that will have formal linkages with external services and that will establish processes and procedures that have childrens well being as their focus at all levels;
It will have clear and consistent referral pathways (Local Area Pathways) for children and families which are based on assessed need and with responses appropriate to meeting these needs. It will provide clarification around thresholds for assessment and intervention. It will ensure each referral is dealt with in an efficient, effective and proportionate manner and that families are directed to appropriate services in a timely and competent manner. It will support and encourage referrers to exercise their judgement in an effective way and work collaboratively to use their resources in the best interest of children. It will provide a framework for information sharing between core Agency services and other services. The NSDF is an area based approach to prevention, partnership and family support

Rationale For Area Based Approach

National policy requires all who provide services to children and families to coordinate and deliver services in an integrated way. Working Together for Children Initative, 2011 (Spearheaded by Childrens Services Committees) - DCYA approach to secure developmental outcomes for children through more effective integration of policies and services. Conducive to capitalising on learning from the Governments Prevention and Early Intervention Programme. Harmomious with a rights based approach to supporting families and protecting children under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child Strong evidence for investing in early support services to address emerging child protection problems and that to achieve this focus a partnership approach to service delivery is necessary. A focus on early intervention and prevention is widely accepted as a policy and practice choice (Agenda for Childrens Services 2007, Families Matter 2009)

Key Principles Governing Area Based Approach (1)

Children and families will be at the heart of everything that the CFA does and there will be a clear focus on the wishes, feeling, safety and well-being of children. Services will be accessible and flexible in terms of location, timing, setting and changing needs.

There will be a single point of contact for children and families, who will not be required to struggle through a maze of services.
Services will be experienced as seamless by children and families. Appropriate supports will be provided at the earliest point of engagement utilising a strengths based perspective which is mindful of resilience Service providers will focus on improving outcomes for children and families and will track progress and results.

Key Principles Governing Area Based Approach (2)

Partnerships will be established with strong accountable leadership. The CFA will work in partnership with children, families, professionals and communities. Services will be cost-effective and will demonstrate value for money. Services will aim to promote social inclusion, addressing issues around ethnicity, sexuality, disability and rural/urban communities. Informed by ION and LANS. Local Area Pathways will fundamentally alter how services are delivered to children and families.

Purpose And Key Functions Of Local Area Pathways

To create a collaborative network of community, voluntary and statutory providers so as to improve access to support services for children and their families. To contribute to the implementation of the CFA Commissioning Strategy, offering a menu for interventions with an evidence base of effectiveness. To operate a case co-ordination process for families who require multiagency intervention but who do not meet the threshold for referral to social work. To provide a clear framework for action co-ordinated by a lead practitioner and led by family requirements.

It is recognised that the development of LAPs is a developmental process whereby relationships between individuals and organisations are built up incrementally over time.

Local Area Pathways In Practice

Governance and leadership will be the responsibility of the CFA through the current 17 Area Managers. The structure beneath the Area Manager will include a designated Senior CFA Manager post to lead on Prevention, Partnership and Family Support. A process of engagement with voluntary, community and statutory partners on the set-up and operation of the Local Area Pathways will be established in each Area. Where Childrens Services Committees (CSCs) exist this engagement will occur through the CSC. A national practice model will be adopted in all areas including a common approach to identifying and meeting child and family need and a process for co-ordinating and reviewing supportive interventions. A number of local Child and Family Support Networks (CFSNs) consisting of local statutory providers, local voluntary/community children and family services and CFA staff, will be established in each Area.

Role of CFSN And Its Members

The CFSN is the frontline operational structure (with CFSN Co-Ordinator) which will ensure integrated service delivery. Members will participate in a collaborative network of community, voluntary and statutory providers so as to improve access for children and families to support services at all levels of need. They will operate a common approach to practice and participate fully in the operation of a process for the identification of need for families with additional needs who require multi-agency intervention but who do not meet the threshold for Social Work involvement under Children First Guidance, 2011. They will either be the lead practitioner or a member of the team around the child supporting the lead practitioner to ensure an integrated intervention that corresponds at all stages to the needs of children and families (as need escalates and also as need decreases and less intensive supports are necessary).

HSE Children and Family Services Office

Draft Potential Model for New Service Delivery Framework

Family Support Agency

4 Regional Managers 17 Steering Committees (Could be CSC) (including Local FRC/Forum Reps. ) 17 Area Managers 17 PPFS Managers (Prevention, Partnership And Family Support) Regional Support Agencies to feed into process CFSN will have a particular Service Centre as its Hub in the Community (FRCs)

Each PPFS Manager Responsible for 5/6 CFSNs

Specialist Support Agencies feed into process

Issues
Resources PPFS Manager and CFSN Co-Ordinator Impact of reduced budgets Need for true partnership in working inter-agency and with voluntary and community sector. Need for a process of engagement and consultation

Importance of training and development to support implementation

Incremental development of the capacity of all agencies, It is not intended to result in families being passed back and forth between services. Relationship between CFA integrated services and Childrens Services Committees.