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WORKING TRAINING DATES ANNOUNCED

We are pleased to announce the Integrated Working face-to-face training events for all those working with children, young people and families and who are conducting Common Assessment Framework Assessments.  The training will help clarify the understanding and purpose of an assessment and CAF definitions. It will also cover the whole assessment process from gathering information to engagement skills, as well as an understanding of some of the tools available.  The dates are as follows;

Dates	Venue	Area	Places
16th November	Oysterfleet Hotel	Canvey Island	25
18th November	Latton Bush Centre	Harlow	25
20th November	Saxon Hall	Rochford	25
23rd November	Latton Bush Centre	Harlow	25
27th November	Latton Bush Centre	Harlow	25
27th November	Windmill Children's Centre	North Tendring	15
30th November	Saxon Hall	Rochford	25
2nd December	Nightingale Centre	Brentwood	15
4th December	Little Havens Children’s Hospice	Thundersley	25
7th December	Basildon Adult Community College	Basildon	25

Duration:  1-day (9.30am to 4.30pm)

To download the application form for training visit the Integrated Working Website where you can register and book onto one of the courses.  Please note that all places for training must be pre-booked.  For further information contact the Integrated Working Project Manager, Joanne Plaster by email: joanne.plaster@essex.gov.uk or by telephone: 01245 434308.

 

EA report on the outcomes of consultation activities with parents and carers in four of our children centres in Essex has been published. The consultation was undertaken as part of a programme of family involvement in the Children and Young People’s Plan 2009/11 seeking the views of parents and carers on the priorities in the Plan and their needs and aspirations for improving family life in Essex. Please click here to download the report.

Further information about the consultation can be sought from Chrissie Gavriel of the Involvement Team, Schools Children and Families on 01206 762923 or by email at chrissie.gavriel@essex.gov.uk.

Consulting parents and carers in Essex Children Centres report (221 kb)

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Earlier this year, the Children’s Trust undertook research to support the implementation of the Children and Young People’s Plan. This study of children and young people’s well-being is now in its third year and is building a good knowledge of trends.

The research was again undertaken by the Schools Health Education Unit, an organisation with significant experience in this area of work. Schools participating in the survey have already had their results fed back to them which should assist them with their development planning and support the preparation of their school self evaluation. The information that has been collected will help monitor performance in delivering the priorities in the Children and Young People’s Plan and support colleagues in the Children’s Trust with planning their services.

The county report is available to download here. A limited number of hard copies of the report are available upon request. Please contact Chrissie Gavriel by email at chrissie.gavriel@essex.gov.uk or by telephone on 01206 762923 for further information.

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Dear Colleague,

I last wrote to you all before the summer break and at that time said I would update everyone on developments early in the autumn term.

The revised Children’s Trust governance arrangements were approved by the Children’s Trust Board on the 2nd October. The Locality Review proposals were recommended for approval at this meeting, but the final decision is to be taken by the Cabinet.

A lot of work is currently being undertaken on the development of a new provider operating model for Schools, Children and Families. 4 Business Design groups have been formed to meet and make some recommendations to the County Business Design group, tasked with producing the documentation which will be presented to Cabinet on the 8th December 2009.

The planning for a new operating model concentrates on organising SCF provider staff into a 4 quadrant structure. (this includes staff from TASCCs and County Core) Line Management will be within workers professional discipline, but this will not deflect from multi-disciplinary locality working. The new model will build on the excellent local integrated working that has been developed by the existing TASCC structure, and is not a case of returning to the structure before TASCCs. This quadrant working model will allow greater flexibility and responsiveness in deploying resources and joined up service delivery with key partners such as schools, health services, and local district and borough councils; building on local delivery of services meeting local needs.

Multi Agency Allocation Groups (MAAGs) will operate across 12 districts, and currently we have 2 pilot MAAGs in Basildon town and Colchester.

I want to reiterate that in the meantime TASCCs will continue to receive referrals and offer a supportive service to our children and families. In some areas, where TASCC Managers have been seconded into other positions, local management arrangements have been made to ensure staff are supported and children are safeguarded. In these areas practitioners will remain within their TASCC but receive line management and supervision from their relevant central core team. The current TASCC model will continue until the new operating model is agreed and ready to be implemented – until this time it is business as usual for referrals and service delivery within the TASCC framework.

If you have any general questions with regards to the review, please e-mail the address below.

Yours sincerely,

Wendi Ogle-Welbourn
Director for Commissioning
Schools, Children & Families
Essex County Council
County Hall
Chelmsford
Essex
CM1 1LX

Please send replies to Children’s Trust Email: childrenstrustreview@essex.gov.uk
Website: www.ctaessex.org.uk

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The final report of the review of Children's Trust arrangements in Essex was presented to the Children's Trust board on 2nd October.

The Board agreed all the recommendations relating to governance and commissioning arrangements for the Children's Trust in Essex. The Board also expressed its’ strong support for the development of the Multi-Agency Allocation Panels and proposals to strengthen integrated working arrangements in Essex, including a strong commitment to the continuing development of the CAF and Lead Professional working.

The Board also supported the remaining recommendations relating to the review of locality working and the development of ‘Think Family’ approaches in Essex. However, since these recommendations relate to Essex County Council services, it is properly a matter for Cabinet whether or not to agree the recommendations that apply to the way in which services are structured.

The report and its appendices are now available to all members of staff in Essex County Council and to our partners.

I would once again like to thank all those who have contributed to the review throughout the participation process.

I am confident that the changes proposed within the report will enable us to deliver improved outcomes for children and young people across Essex in partnership with our partner agencies.

Yours sincerely,

Wendi Ogle-Welbourn
Director for Commissioning
Review of Children's Trust arrangements
Schools, Children and Families
Essex County Council | email: childrenstrustreview@essex.gov.uk

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We are pleased to announce the following Integrated Working face-to-face training events:

Integrated Working: Assessment Training

Target Audience

All those working with children, young people and families and who are conducting CAF assessments.

Dates	Venue	Area
21st October	Nightingale Centre	Brentwood
26th October	Western Homes Community Stadium	Colchester
26th October	Wat Tyler Conference Centre	Pitsea, Nr Basildon
28th October	Western Homes Community Stadium	Colchester
29th October	Western Homes Community Stadium	Colchester
29th October	Wat Tyler Conference Centre	Pitsea, Nr Basildon
2nd November	Wat Tyler Conference Centre	Pitsea, Nr Basildon
2nd November	Western Homes Community Stadium	Colchester
3rd November	Western Homes Community Stadium	Colchester
4th November	Wat Tyler Conference Centre	Pitsea, Nr Basildon
5th November	Western Homes Community Stadium	Colchester
5th November	Wat Tyler Conference Centre	Pitsea, Nr Basildon
11th November	Weeley Village Hall	Clacton on Sea

Duration: 1-day (9.30am to 4.30pm)

Learning Objective

• The purpose of assessment – why assess? Gain an understanding of what is meant by an assessment.
• Assessment and the CAF definitions.
• The assessment process – gathers, analyse information, identify strengths and needs and produce an action plan.
• The principles of assessment – telling the child, young person or family’s story and putting them at the centre of assessment.
• Engagement skills for assessment – listening, questioning, summarising, challenging and reflection.
• Assessment Tools – gain an understanding of some assessment tools available

Topics covered

• The assessment cycle and process.
• The principles of assessment
• The skills of assessment

Application for Integrated Working Training form (150 kb)

Integrated working training dates announced (161 kb)

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The Common Assessment Framework (CAF) is one of the changes introduced in the Childrens Act 2004, and plays a major part in improving services to children and families, in line with the Governments Every Child Matters agenda.

The CAF was initially introduced to Essex through a training programme in 2006/07 and it continues to support the current Childrens Trust arrangements.

For the Childrens Trust to achieve their ambition of delivering appropriately commissioned services to children, young people and their families; it is now expected for all services to be accessed through the use of the Common Assessment Framework as of 1st October 2009. You will be asked to provide a CAF when you refer children for services from this date.

The Childrens Trust will support agencies in this process by offering a programme of training commencing with Assessment Skills in October 2009.

For more information, contact Workingtogether@essex.gov.uk or go to the Integrated Working Website www.ecclms.co.uk/goecclms.asp.

Graham Tombs
Executive Director
Schools, Children and Families

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ContactPoint practitioner information now available in Document Library.

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Members of the Children’s Trust Approach are pleased to report the outcomes of its annual survey into the well-being of children and young in Essex. The study is now in its third year and is building a good knowledge of trends on the well-being of children and young people. The research was again undertaken by the Schools Health Education Unit (SHEU) which has significant experience in this area of research.

Schools participating in the survey have already had their results fed back to them, which should assist their development planning and preparation of their school self evaluation. The information collected from the research will be used to help monitor performance in delivering the priorities in our Children and Young People’s Plan 2009/11 and will support colleagues in the Children’s Trust with planning services.

This year, a greater number of schools participated in the survey and, for the first time, we are able to report the results at district level. The County Report, district level reports, and reports for children and young people are all available to download below.

If you would like further information on the Well-being Survey or have any queries regarding the information in the reports, please telephone 01206 762923 or email cypplan@essex.gov.uk.

County Report and Reports for Children and Young People 2009

• County Report
• Report for Children
• Report for Young People

District Reports 2009

• Basildon
• Braintree
• Brentwood
• Castle Point
• Chelmsford
• Colchester
• Epping Forest
• Harlow
• Maldon
• Rochford
• Tendring
• Uttlesford

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Dear Partner

The workshops are well underway and we would like to thank all of you who have attended so far and those of you who have booked a place on an upcoming workshop. The first Discussion Document was published and sent out last week, however if you have not received a copy please email Childrenstrustreview@essex.gov.uk to request your copy as there are further opportunities to send in your views and observations. Please could you also cascade this information to any of your colleagues who would find this of interest and may not have yet booked a place on a workshop.

We still have places left on some workshops, so if you haven't booked your place yet please return your booking form back to us as soon as possible.

PLEASE NOTE THAT YOU MUST PRE-BOOK YOUR PLACE AT THE WORKSHOPS - WE MUST ADVISE YOU THAT WE WILL TURN AWAY ANYONE WHO IS NOT BOOKED ONTO THE WORKSHOP, AS WE ARE UNABLE TO ACCOMODATE ANYBODY WHO ATTENDS WITHOUT PRE-BOOKING THEIR PLACE DUE TO HEALTH AND SAFETY REASONS.

The full list of dates, times and venues are shown below and a booking form is attached to this email for your convenience.

• 8th June - Tendring - COMPLETED
• 8th June - Colchester - COMPLETED
• 18th June - 9.30-12.30 - Brentwood - COMPLETED
• 23rd June - Basildon - FULL
• 25th June - 1.30-4.30 - Rochford - Book by 22nd June 2009
• 26th June - 9.30-12.30 - Maldon - Almost Full - Book by 23rd June 2009
• 29th June - Chelmsford - FULL
• 30th June - 9.30-12.30 - Braintree - Almost Full - Book by 26th June 2009
• 30th June - 1.30-4.30 - Castle Point - Book by 26th June 2009
• 7th July - 9.30-12.30 - Uttlesford - Book by 3rd July 2009
• 10th July - 9.30-12.30 - Harlow - Book by 6th July 2009
• 10th July - 1.30-4.30 - Epping Forest - Book by 6th July 2009
• 13th July - 9.30-12.30 - Chelmsford - Book by 9th July 2009 - MOP UP SESSION - Almost Full - Book now