To approve the early help strategy 2016-18

THAT:

(a) The early help strategy 2016-18 (appendix 1) be approved

The early help strategy will play a key role in securing outcomes set out in

Herefordshire’s children and young people’s plan 2015-2018 and contribute to

meeting the expected commitments to the troubled families (families first)

programme; and contribute to delivery of Herefordshire’s health and wellbeing

strategy.

The development of the children and young people’s partnership’s early help strategy

is at a time of increased financial pressures on all agencies and organisations,

including early year’s settings, schools, colleges, NHS, public and mental health

services, police as well as the council. At the same time there is an increased

pressure on resources, with higher numbers entering health and social care services.

Herefordshire has experienced comparatively high numbers of MASH and child

protection referrals and the number of looked after children are at comparatively high

level against statistical neighbours. Whilst the local authority and partners do not set

activity by statistical comparisons they do point to potentially different ways of

meeting needs. There are significant cost pressures, with capped budgets, that need

to be absorbed. The early help strategy provides a vehicle to maximise the council’s

and partner’s work and resources to meet need in a more preventative way. It also

recognises that there are strengths and services within local communities than can

play a strong and effective part in supporting families. The council has been clear that it is families and communities who bring up children, and this proposed approach will build on that theme.

The alternative option to the proposed early help strategy is to continue with the

current arrangements. However this is not recommended as it does not maximise or

coordinate early help in Herefordshire, and has contributed to a higher than

necessary number of referrals through the Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH).

Many of these are inappropriate to be dealt with at the agreed Herefordshire

Safeguarding Children’s Board’s level 4, threshold of need. Herefordshire has

experienced higher comparative levels of child protection referrals and increased

numbers of looked after children. The current system is ‘overheated’ resulting in extra

activity, a greater level of intrusive work with parents and families than is ideally

required, and higher costs to partners and the council. There is a need to build on

current early help activity and provide a clearer approach across Herefordshire that

will improve effectiveness to ensure where appropriate, children and families access

support at an earlier stage of need; and contribute to reducing pressure on the

statutory child protection system.

In considering alternative solutions to this issue, the provision of early help is a

nationally recognised, cost effective use of resources and an appropriate way to

organise and manage the delivery of services. Whilst there are a number of national

models, the proposed strategy aims to develop service and budget arrangements that best suit Herefordshire, to focus the early help service arrangements in communities across the county and maximise the collective approach in all agencies.