Agenda item

Team Around the Child (TAC ) Proposal

(To receive a report from Stuart Carlton, Assistant Director Children's Services, which provides the Schools Forum with a proposal to improve TAC arrangements for schools)

Minutes:

Consideration was given to a report from the Team Manager for Team Around the Child (TAC), which provided the Schools Forum with a proposal to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of Team Around the Child arrangements in Lincolnshire, and to ensure systems and structures were conducive to continuous improvement on a multi-agency approach.  It was reported that the proposal within the report did not cover wider Early Help developments including the revision of TAC paperwork, as this would be addressed, by the multi-agency Early Help Steering Group.

 

The Executive Director of Children's Services guided the Forum through the report, bringing their attention to Appendix A which provided the Forum with a briefing as to the Early Help and Team Around the Child in Lincolnshire.  The Appendix explained the definition of Early Help and what the Early Help Offer meant for children and families; What was Team Around the Child and how important it was for the Team around the Child to develop and deliver a package of solution focused support to meet the needs identified through the Single Assessment, with a lead professional having been identified to co-ordinate the support and act as the key point of contact for the family and professional/services.

 

The Executive Director highlighted that there were two areas of concern in relating to Early Help, one was providing administrative support and the other was not getting access to case supervisors for help and support and help manage the risks.  The proposal suggested asked for financial support and infrastructure support to enable this to happen.

 

During discussion, the following points were raised:-

 

·         Administrative and support expectations, Members were advised that it was hoped to implement "Signs of Safety" into TAC arrangements, which would provide smarter methodology.  Also it was highlighted that another piece of work going on was in connection with Troubled Families, this would then dovetail into other work going on around the child;

·         Administrative support in schools, it was hoped to replace the administrative burden with a legal professional, which would make it easier for schools;

·         It was highlighted that there was a need for training professional in schools.  It was reported that training would be given around Signs of Safety;

·         Responsibility of third sector in the overall welfare of children.  The Executive Director asked to be notified in cases when agencies were not taking responsibility through Head teachers; Funding issues surrounding TAC and increasing numbers of cases; and

·         Members were reassured that the consultants would have experience safeguarding and managing risk.

 

The Schools Forum offered their support to the proposal and requested that a further report should be received in three months' time to ensure that things were moving in the right direction.

RESOLVED

 

In order to address the issues contained within the report and secure good improvements to TAC in Lincolnshire the Schools Forum gave their support to the following actions:-

 

1.    The DSG jointly funds the creation of early Help Consultant posts.

 

2.    LCC Cost £67,601

 

3.    DSG proposed cost £113,082

 

4.    That these posts will:

 

·         Ensure all schools and academies have access to advice and guidance on the assessment and management of Early help cases

·         Provide case supervision for school staff to ensure that cases are appropriately risk assessed and managed

·         Provide quality assurance to the TAC process to prevent drift in cases

·         Support the use of reflective and evidence-based best practice across early Help

 

5.    These posts would be able to offer schools based case supervision for up to 224 cases per month, and quality assurance of 50 cases per month.  If numbers exceeded these figures, more posts would need to be created.

 

6.    That the Schools' Forum agrees to cease the one-off administrative payment to schools, and supports the establishment of a central administrative function to organise Schools based TAC meetings, type and distribute minutes.  The funding identified below would support up to 120 meetings per month.  If figures exceed this amount, extra funding would be required.

 

7.    DSG proposed cost: £104,400

 

8.    That a progress report be presented to the Schools' Forum in three months' time.

Supporting documents:

 

 
 
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