The Early Help Assessment Journey. Team Around the Family Meetings Support for OUR Early Help Partner Agencies. ©Manchester City Council

What is an Early Help Team Around the A pre arranged opportunity for those supporting a family via an E.H.A, to meet with family members and review the progress of the Multi Agency Support. All those involved gain an accurate overview of What’s working Well, What could be better and why and What needs to happen. Young people are provided with an opportunity to have their voices/views heard and take centre stage to any planning. Those attending gain a shared understanding of any information explored during the meeting. There is a shared understanding of the way forward in the Early Help journey.

Reviewing the Early Help Assessment Journey Chairing/ leading the Team Around the Family meeting is a role that can be carried out by any member of the team. However this is usually carried out by the recognised E.H.A lead professional. The important thing is that the meeting is carried out with a Strength Based Approach. Ensuring your approach is Strength Based help those attending; Gain and share relevant information in a timely manner. Achieve a good understanding of the families changing circumstances. Establish a clear shared/ agreed picture of the way forward. All this is achieved without professionals being judgemental and encouraging a constructive partnership between you, young people and families.

Strength Based Approach The Early Help Assessment Format The meeting begins with introductions and all present explore the Smart planning from the previous meeting By looking at the results from your previously agreed plans, you will gain a clear picture of what has worked well and what could still be better Once the previous plans have been reviewed and any updated planning recorded its time to move on. Circumstances may have changed new presenting needs may have arisen, yet reviewing the original planning helps all to remain focused. Things that have been completed can be recorded as working well. Things that have not been completed should be explored and where relevant be recorded as things that could still be better and why. These will require updated planning. Uncompleted agreed tasks will usually highlight other issues or areas of need that should then be recorded as what could be better and accounted for in the updated planning.

Ensuring a Strength Based Approach The Early Help Assessment Format: What Next? Look to explore what is working well and what could be better for other family members (in the five areas of life). Record these and where needed agree a way forward using S.M.A.R.T planning. You must ensure the voice of the child is shared with those in the meeting. This and other key points from the meeting should be recorded on your current Early Help Assessment. Your planning should reflect that relevant outcomes and information from the meeting is to be shared (where age appropriate) with the young person/s. A Strength Based Approach will support you in re affirming the key principals of the Early Help Journey. By asking parents (at each meeting) and young people to score how they feel, acts as a measure of improvement and an early indicator of areas requiring more support. This style of meeting should be maintained during the period of support and should not be replaced by other styles of meeting.

Engaging young people and obtaining their views/voice There are a number of resources designed to support workers in obtaining the voice/views of young people Details on the use of these and a range of additional resources can be accessed via the Early Help Practitioner Zone web page: manchester.gov.uk/earlyhelppractitioner

Recording a families shared information onto an E. H Recording a families shared information onto an E.H.A form : Key Points The outcome of your “Strength Based, Team Around the Family meeting” should be recorded on your (initially registered) electronic copy of the E.H.A form. The family should be provided with a copy of the initial/registered E.H.A and at any point during the E.H.A journey do let the family know they can request an updated copy. The lead professional should always hold the up to date copy. The E.H.A is not your case record/file. It is a shared record and reference point, for the family as well as any agency contributing to meeting identified needs in the family. It needs to be recorded in Plain English Use bullet points instead of lengthy paragraphs. Record any brief direct statements from parents and young people.

Remember each text box expands What could be better and why? Think about what’s important to you and your family This is where we record your worries & our worries. Everyone deserves to be happy: what could be better? What’s working well? This is where you record the good stuff! What makes you happy? Think about what you’re good at; your successes. Who makes up your support networks?   Score 1 - 10 What needs to happen? The Plan. What’s important for you and your family? What would make you happy? What are your goals? Actions needs to be set to help you and your family achieve them. Use the E.H.A form to record the outcomes (resulting in an E.H.A) of your initial Strength Based Conversation. The outcomes from all subsequent Team Around the Family (multiagency) meetings can be recorded on the same electronic form. You will then always be in a position to share (where required) an up to date copy of the Early Help Journey, with parents, young person (where appropriate), or other professionals if needed. Home: Initial meeting with mum and P. MAN (Teacher) (22.1.2018) “The Kids could do with having separate rooms as they are always arguing”. (mum) “I want my own room. I shouldn’t have to share” (child a) Initial meeting with mum and P. Man (Teacher) (22.1.2018) “I like the area I live in” (mum) “All my bills utility are paid on direct debit, so I don’t owe them anything “ “My mums a good cook and makes my lunch” (child a) Initial meeting with mum and P. Man (Teacher) (22.1.2018) Mum has agreed to register on Manchester move by the end of this week. A. Practitioner to meet with mum and child (b), next Monday at School to talk about room sharing and other areas of life. Mum 6 Child (a) 4 T.A.F meeting (25.2.18) with mum and P. Man and J. Lo (Health Visitor) T.A.F meeting (25.2.18) with mum and P. Man and J. Lo (Health Visitor) T.A.F meeting (25.2.18) with mum and P. Man and J. Lo (Health Visitor) Remember each text box expands

against 1 of the five areas of Life. The Plan should be Specific What could be better and why? Think about what’s important to you and your family This is where we record your worries & our worries. Everyone deserves to be happy: what could be better? What’s working well? This is where you record the good stuff! What makes you happy? Think about what you’re good at; your successes. Who makes up your support networks?   Score 1 - 10 What needs to happen? The Plan. What’s important for you and your family? What would make you happy? What are your goals? Actions needs to be set to help you and your family achieve them. Home Work School/College Social/Community Health and Wellbeing Parents and carers can provide an initial report on how a child feels about certain aspects of life. The Plan should reflect how and when the voice of the child is to be obtained and by who. The voice of the child should be recorded on the same E.H.A. Professionals should reflect back to parents and young people any strengths they/you have identified as a result of conversation. The strengths should be recorded against 1 of the five areas of Life. The Plan should be Specific Measurable Attainable Realistic Timely We should always look to record information electronically and in bullet points, so the recorded information is easy to read and can be quickly reviewed. The name of the person undertaking an identified task should be recorded. Any agreed tasks should have an agreed time frame/date. This will help when deciding when your next meeting should be held. Recording key statements made by the parent or young person evidences their inclusion in the E.H journey.

Key points to consider Whenever possible agree a change of who chairs the meeting. All are responsible for making the process work. Key tasks like chairing the meetings and making referrals should be shared by members of the Team Around the Family. Your meeting should start by exploring the S.M.A.R.T planning as agreed from your previous meetings. Record the outcomes from your T.A.F meeting on the same electronic copy of the form as your initial assessment. This provides one single record of the complete Early Help Journey. If needed any professional involved with a Team Around the Family can access further information, help and support by contacting one of the 3 Early Help Hubs. You may be required to submit a Request For Early Help Support Form. Click here to obtain a copy of the form.

The Early Help Assessment Journey. Team Around the Family Meetings Support for OUR Early Help Partner Agencies. ©Manchester City Council