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Integrated Children's Services
Introduction
Integrated Children's Services encompass universal
services - those that everyone uses e.g. education - as well as more
targeted services for children, young people and their families.
There has been recognition at both local and national levels that
services for children and their families need to be integrated and easier to access. Services will be improved and better outcomes
for children achieved through agencies - statutory and voluntary -
liaising and operating within a common structure and purpose.
Highland is committed to achieving better services and improved
integration of these services as has been set out in the "For Scotland's
Children" Action Plan. We will:
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Consider children's services as a single service system:
by addressing the gaps or duplication in service provision that families can
experience; and promoting sustainable services to strengthen communities, to
support families to value children.
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Ensure inclusive access to universal services:
through inclusive policy and practice, early intervention and multi-agency
pathway planning.
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Co-ordinate needs assessment and intervention, and target
services: through integrated assessment and information sharing across
agencies, and a collaborative and targeted approach to service delivery,
ensuring that children get the support that they need, when they need it.
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Establish a joint children's service plan: through
planning for all of Highland's children to have the best possible start in
life; to enjoy being young; and be supported to develop as confident,
capable and resilient, to fully maximise their potential.
Integrated services in Highland have been developing over the
last number of years. A series of strategic and operational multi-agency
structures have been developed to support interagency working and these operate
alongside a clear and explicit commitment to achieve better local services.
Strategic
Structures
To achieve better integration and services involves a joined up,
multi-agency structure at all levels across the area. At a strategic level it was necessary to:
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ensure strong, collective, political leadership;
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encourage genuine commitment across agencies and services;
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implement a management structure to disseminate this message
and direction throughout services.
To achieve these aims a series of strategic structures were set
up:
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JCCYP: Joint Committee for Children and Young People - includes all
community planning partners; Highland Council - Elected Members and
Officials; NHS Highland - Non Executive and Executive; Northern
Constabulary; Voluntary Sector representatives; Scottish Reporters
Administration.
It's remit is to develop, implement and review the Children's Service Plan.
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Chief Officers' Group - comprises of Directors of all
Lead Services. It's remit is to develop and co-ordinate strategy and
ensure implementation of policy and best practice models.
Strategic Structure
Model
Operational Structures
Operationally, structures have also been developed to support
the implementation of integrated policy and to ensure a 'joined-up' approach is
taken locally.
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ACSF: Area Children's Service Forums - brings
together key managers in each area to implement integrated strategy, taking
forward policy and practice at a local level.
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Liaison Groups/Youth Offender Groups - formed around
school boundaries, comprising of operational professionals, jointly
addressing the needs of children that require multi-agency involvement.
Operational
Structure Model
Meeting
Children's Needs
Integrated Children's Services encompasses universal as well as
the more targeted services for children and their families. The vision
underpinning Integrated Services is that "'all' children have the best possible
start in life".
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One of the key philosophies of Children's
Services is the need
for a holistic approach. This means that with the
child at the centre of our interest, we assess the child
within the context of their own family and community
environment. Following this, we need to provide
sustainable community based services that support families
to best look after their children.
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Although service development is for the
benefit of all children, not all children will require the
multi-agency approach, only those whose needs are greater
and cannot be met within universal provision.
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(Click
to enlarge picture)
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Integrated Planning
'For Highland's Children (2001-2004)' and it's successor plan
'For Highland's Children 2 (2005-2008)',[.pdf
file 3.4MB] are the key planning documents for
Children's Services within Highland. Both plans set out the service
development and priorities planned over a three year period.
Highland's
Quality Improvement Framework sits alongside the plan. This is the
process through which progress on the Children's Plan is monitored.
Navigation Bar
The navigation bar allows you to look at Integrated Services for
Children in more depth. There you will find detail on:
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Structures - Joint Committee for Children and Young People
- Area Children's Service Forums
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Integrated Planning - look at the current Children's Plan
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Quality Improvement - arrangements for reviewing and
monitoring progress and performance
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Publications - key publications associated with Integrated
Children's Services.
| There is also a series of links providing information on specific integrated
initiatives and themes including: |
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ICS Links: | Introduction |
Publications-Bulletins |
Glossary |
Site Links: | Integrated Children's Services | Joint Committee | Integrated Planning |
| Quality Improvement | Children's Services Forums | Publications | Getting It Right FEC |
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