The guidance provides a framework for collaboration, information sharing, and the optimal utilisation of individual and community resources to achieve positive and enduring outcomes for children, young people, and families across the local authories we work with.
We must collaborate transparently with the children and their families or carers to ascertain strengths and needs, devise practical and attainable solutions, and deliver appropriate information, advice, and assistance promptly.
The following is an overview of the thresholds that Next Gen AP works in collaboration with the localised thresholds with each local authority:
Children without additional needs are those whose health and developmental requirements can be adequately addressed through effective parental care and the universal resources accessible to all children, such as health and educational services.
Level 2: Children with additional needs.
Children with additional needs are children who require additional support to ensure their health and developmental needs are met.
They may be vulnerable and showing early signs of abuse and/or neglect, but often their needs are not clear, not known or not being met.
Additional support may be provided by a single agency or by several different agencies working together, with a lead professional co-ordinating the work. Additional services from providers such as family support services, parenting programmes and children’s centres may be required. This kind of support is described as ‘early help’ or ‘early intervention’, as it seeks to provide help and support to children, young people, and their families in the early stages when concerns are identified, and to avoid those concerns escalating.
However, the level of need or risk is not such that involvement by statutory children’s social care services is required.
Level 3: Children with complex multiple needs.
These young people necessitate specialised services to attain or sustain an adequate standard of health or development, or to avert substantial deterioration of their health and development, and/or who are impaired. They may necessitate prolonged intervention from specialised specialists. This represents the threshold for a children and families evaluation conducted by a Family Help Practitioner pursuant to Section 17 of the Children Act 1989, however the necessary assessments and services may derive from various provisions external to children's social care.
Should the assessment conclude that ongoing social care intervention is necessary to avert deterioration of the child's health or distress, a 'child in need plan' will be established and executed, delineating the roles of all agencies in addressing the child's requirements.
Level 4: Children with acute need.
These are children for whom there is justifiable reason to believe they are experiencing, or are at risk of experiencing, substantial harm. For additional discourse on the notion of 'substantial harm', please consult the London Safeguarding Children Procedures, section 1.1.
Investigations pursuant to Section 47 of the Children Act 1989 shall be conducted by the Multi-Agency Child Protection Team, and if required, immediate measures will be implemented to ensure the child's protection.
Should the suspicion of substantial harm be validated, a multi-agency child protection case conference will evaluate the necessary subsequent actions to safeguard the child. This level include children receiving Level 4 health care, which are highly specialised services provided in residential, day patient, or outpatient environments for children and adolescents with severe and/or complex physical and/or mental health issues, as well as those remanded into custody.