Early Help Practitioner Forum Housing – June 2023

    Private Sector Housing presentation

     

     

    Early Help Practitioner Forum Finance (Debts and Loan Sharks) – July 2023

    Introducing Lendology

    Lendology Loans Leaflet 2023

    Stop Loan Sharks

     

    Early Help Practitioner Forum Domestic Abuse and Violence – May 2023

    Domestic Abuse Support Services

    Please find below further resources which will help you in your role supporting families affected by Domestic Abuse & Violence.

    Domestic Abuse Act 2021

    Domestic Abuse Support within Safe Accommodation

    SAFE Trauma Therapy Service

    FearFree – Local Support for Domestic Abuse

    Multi Agency Risk Assessment Conference (MARAC)

    Further Training – Domestic Abuse Awareness Level 1 and 2: Recognising signs of abuse and how to report it

    Victim Care Unit – natasha.underhill@devonandcornwall.pnn.police.uk

    More Positive Me

    Support for Gypsy, Romany, Traveller, Showman (GRTS) families

    Ellen Tout is Devon’s Ethnic Minority and Traveller Achievement Service (EMTAS) as the GRTS advisory teacher.  Her role is to support schools to meet the needs of children from Traveller backgrounds and to increase the number of Traveller children who are accessing education. Ellen can support professionals who need help discussing Domestic Abuse concerns within families of ethnic minority.

    She can also offer support with:

    • admission into school, links with parents, carers and communities, advice and direction on settling in, induction and transition
    • short-term intervention programmes, which can include in-class support
    • individualised transition programmes for Traveller pupils from primary to secondary
    • developing inclusive approaches, fostering positive relationships and planning curriculum opportunities to value and promote Traveller culture
    • catch-up teaching onsite
    • raising awareness of Traveller cultures and history
    • anti-racism CPD for school staff and workshops for pupils.

    Gypsy, Roma, Traveller and Showmen (GRTS) – Support for schools and settings (devon.gov.uk)

    Essential information and guidance for practitioners

    Mighty Minestrone Soup

    Minestrone is a nutrient packed classic Italian soup made with beans, veg, and pasta. Making a soup is a great way to revive fresh veg that might be starting to look a bit tired! And this can be frozen too.

    These recipes are designed for you to cook together as a family. The best bits for children to help with are shown in blue, and little hands can always help with measuring ingredients and washing up!

    Serves: 4
    Approximate cost per adult serving: 52p
    Time: 30 minutes

    Ingredients

    • 1 tablespoon oil
    • 1 onion, chopped
    • 2 carrots, scrubbed and chopped
    • ¼ head of savoy cabbage, finely sliced
    • 2 garlic cloves, grated or finely chopped
    • 2 tablespoons tomato puree
    • 400g tin chopped tomatoes
    • 2 veg or chicken stock cubes (low salt preferable)
    • 400g tin cannellini beans (butter beans also work well)
    • 100g pasta broken into small pieces
    • Salt and pepper to season

    Method

    1. Wash the vegetables and prepare – peel the onion and garlic, and chop the onion, carrots, garlic, and cabbage.
    2. Heat the oil in a saucepan over a medium heat. Add the onion and carrot and cook for 10 minutes until softened.
    3. Add the garlic and fry for 1 minute, stirring so it doesn’t burn. Add in the tomato puree and cook for another 3 minutes.
    4. Make 1.2L of stock (about 5 mugs) with 2 stock cubes and hot water. Add the tinned tomatoes and the stock to the vegetables, cover with a lid if you have one and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat so it is simmering and cook for about 10 minutes.
    5. Add the beans and the pasta pieces and cook for another 10 minutes or so until the pasta is cooked. Add the cabbage and cook for another 2 minutes. If the soup is too thick you can add some hot water to loosen. Season to taste but remember to remove a small portion for young children beforehand.

    Equipment

    • Sharp knife
    • Chopping board
    • Saucepan
    • Measuring jug

    Modify Me

    • If preparing for little ones and using larger beans such as butter beans, make sure these are sliced and vegetables are cut into small pieces. It is also a good idea to choose low salt stock cubes if you can.
    • You can use whatever vegetables and pasta you have available.

    Foodie Fact

    Legumes such as beans and lentils are an excellent source of fibre, which we need to keep our digestion healthy. Adults should aim for 30g per day, 11–16 year-olds 25g per day, 5–11 year-olds about 20g per day, and 2-5 year olds about 15g per day.

    This recipe has been adapted from BBC Food

     

    Upcoming virtual event with the Children’s Commissioner

    As part of Care Month, the Children’s Commissioner will be holding a live virtual event to present her vision for a better care system for children.

    The event will take place at 3pm on Tuesday, 24 November. The Commissioner will be reflecting on what she has learnt from care-experienced children and young people during the six years that she has been Commissioner, as well as celebrating some of your achievements and successes.

    What’s more, as part of the event, there will be a young people’s panel of young people who will be answering questions from the audience about what it’s really like to be in care. And we are proud to announce that one of our Devon young people, Luke White, has been selected to be on the panel! Congratulations Luke!

    You can sign up to watch the event live here.

    Are you worrying about money?

    With news yesterday of record redundancies in the UK during the three months to September, we want to let you know about what support is available if you’re worrying about money.

    It’s reported that companies have made more workers redundant in anticipation of the end of the furlough scheme, which was initially due to end in October, but which has now extended until the end of March 2021.

    Over the summer, at least 30 per cent of Devon’s workforce were furloughed, and the number of people in the county claiming Universal Credit has gone up by 155 per cent since March.

    If your income has changed and you’re struggling to pay for basic household essentials, Devon County Council have made money available via local District Councils to provide small emergency grants to people in financial hardship as a result of COVID-19.

    The funds can be used for different things such as access to emergency short term support through shopping vouchers, utility top ups, paying for essential travel needs or essential advice and support services.

    Devon County Council have also published information on about financial help in your local area, including links to national support and information on what to do if you were employed but have now lost your job.

    Early Help outcomes framework, a one-minute guide

    6 Key themes

    All Local Authorities have been asked to update and refresh their outcome plans to meet the new supporting families 10 headline themes.

    We are therefore making changes to our Early Help Assessment and Plan & Review in the Right for Children system and this document will be updated as part of those changes 24/03/23

    Crime/ASB

    Indicator

    • Committed ASB /offence in last 12 months
    • Subject to probation or community order, suspended sentence or pre-court disposal
    • Household with higher than average police call outs
    • Involved with prevention services

    Outcome

    • Reduction in young persons offending 33% over last 6 months
    • Reduction in adults offending 60% over last 12 months
    • No ASB or escalation over last 6 months
    • No breach of order in last 12 months or over length of order
    • 50% reduction in police call out in past 6 months

    Education and attainment

    Indicator

    • Attendance is below 90%
    • Permanently excluded or 3+ fixed term exclusion in 3 terms
    • Identified as missing in education
    • Not in education, employment and training
    • SEND

    Outcome

    • Unauthorised absence is less than 10% over 3 terms
    • Where a child whose attendance was less than 40% has improved attendance by 50%
    • No permanent or >3 fixed term exclusions over 3 terms
    • Engaged in continuous education training or employment 3 terms/12 months

    Specific support needed

    Indicator

    • EHA/CP/CIN/
      Intervention, 2 or more MASH enquiries
    • Referred to Young Carers
    • Referred to Children Centre for targeted support
    • Homeless young person
    • Step Down to Early Help

    Outcome

    • Is not identified as CIN, or subject to a CP Plan, or where an Early Help assessment has been closed, is not reopened or initiated within 6 months
    • An improvement in outcomes evidenced through and EHA/Family Star or recognised ‘distance travelled’ tool
    • Step Down to universal services

    Work / Finances

    Indicator

    • Claiming out of work benefits
    • At risk of NEET/ Homelessness /Eviction
    • Unmanageable debt
    • Claiming universal credit with work related requirements attached

    Outcome

    • Adult in work or in education or training sustained for 13 or 26 weeks dependent on requirement
    • Not claiming Universal Credit. Have moved into ‘working enough’, ‘light touch’ groups. Claim closed due to earnings maintained
    • Suitable housing for 6 months
    • Debt managed for 6 months

    Being safe

    Indicator

    • Children/Adult experienced or perpetuated domestic abuse
    • Missing person
    • Risk of CSE
    • Has been subject to MASH enquiries, single assessment, CIN, CP planning, due to experiencing DVA

    Outcome

    • No reported Domestic Abuse incidents/ Sexual Violence/Abuse or Honour based abuse in past 6 months
    • No missing episodes
    • Reduction in CSE risk over 6 months
    • An improvement in outcomes evidenced through an EHA/ Family Star, or recognised ‘distance travelled’ tool

    Physical and mental health

    Indicator

    • Adult or young person requires mental health or substance/alcohol misuse support
    • Physical health problems that require support
    • At risk of deliberately harming his/her self
    • Malnourished, under or very overweight

    Outcome

    • Leaves substance/alcohol misuse programme having met treatment goals
    • No return to treatment
    • An improvement in outcomes evidenced through an EHA/ Family Star or recognised ‘distance travelled’ tool

    Our Early Help offer is underpinned by the 6 Key themes that take a whole family approach to support:

    1. Parents or children are involved in crime or anti-social behaviour. Crime and ASB
    2. Children not attending school regularly or are being excluded. Education and Attainment
    3. Children who need help (Vulnerable Children). Specific Support Needed
    4. At least one adult is out of work, young people are at risk of unemployment, and families are experiencing financial disadvantage. Work /Finances
    5. There is domestic violence and abuse, risk of CSE or missing children and young people. Being Safe
    6. Individuals have a range of health problems, physical or mental health. Physical and Mental Health

    Improving outcomes for families can enable Devon to access additional funding through payment by results claims (PBR) this funds the targeted services which provide support to families. To enable a potential claim a family needs to meet at least 2 out of the 6 key themes, which could increase as further needs is uncovered during the journey of support. The Right for Children recording system, Early Help tools, Assessment and Plan/Review, should be used, and are designed to support families to receive co-ordinated multi-agency support to improve and sustain outcomes. We need to evidence successful outcomes for all members of a family and these need to be sustained. Where worklessness in a family is a presenting issue a payment by results claim can be made where there is evidence that an adult family member has returned to employment for an expected period or is no longer in receipt of out of work benefits. Other presenting need should still be supported to improve outcomes for a family.

    Families must also have:
    1. An Assessment that in some way takes into account the needs of the whole family;
    2. An Action Plan that takes account of all (relevant) family members;
    3. There is a Lead Worker that is recognised by the family and other professionals involved with the family;
    4. The objectives in the family action plan are aligned to those in the area’s Troubled Families Outcomes Plan (Devon Early Help Outcomes Plan).

    So what does this mean for you, the practitioner?

    Think – Whole family
    Think – The 6 key themes 
    Think – Right for Children assessment and plan 
    Think – Lead Practitioner 
    Think – Significant and sustained engagement/ Outcomes 

    Further information on  the Devon Early Help system, offer, Early Help leaflet for families and the full Devon Early Help outcomes framework can be found at the Devon Safeguarding Children Partnership website, under Early Help:

    https://www.dcfp.org.uk/early-help/early-help-information-for-workers/

    Early Help Practitioner Forums

    August 2023: Important Update from the Early Help Locality Teams

    Our priorities going forward will be to:

    • Deliver Triage so please continue to submit Requests for Triage discussion to the relevant Locality Mailbox.

    Northern Devon: Earlyhelpnorthsecure-mailbox@devon.gov.uk

    Southern Devon: Earlyhelpsouthsecure-mailbox@devon.gov.uk

    Mid and East Devon: Earlyhelpmideastsecure-mailbox@devon.gov.uk

    Exeter: Earlyhelpexetersecure-mailbox@devon.gov.uk

    What we will not be offering at this time:

    • Attendance at Team around the Family Meetings (TAF)
    • Completion of Early Help Assessments and /or Plans.
    • Practitioner forums.
    • Attendance at non-priority meetings.

    Thank you for your on-going support and understanding at this time.

    Best wishes.

    Ian Flett, Service Manager Early Help – (FIT/YIT/FGC and Early Help Delivery)

     

    Early Help Practitioner Forum dates and booking links – all localities

    We are changing the way we manage our Training and the Forums. When the next Early Help Practitioner Forums are arranged they will be bookable on DeL. Further detail of that process will be available soon.

     


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