Short Breaks Scheme Kingston Upon Hull Children and Young People’s Services

Area Manager – Isabelle BoddyTeam Manager – Lynsey FowkesFamily Placement Officer – Pam JohnsonFoster Carer – Sue Burnett

Prevention services in Hull

Area Manager

Central Duty TeamMarlborough

Family Support Team

SET Team Short Breaks

1 X Child Care Manager5 X Senior care Officers8 X Care Officers

4 X Team Managers2 X Grade 3 Social Worker13 X Social Workers6 Family Support Worker

1 X Manager4 X Social Workers

0-5 years Team2x snr care officers

4 x care officers

Team Structure

• One Area Manager

• One Team Manager

• Four Family Placement Officers (one part time, one works four days per week)

Kingston-Upon-Hull• Unitary authority.• Population 250,000, including 64,000 children and young people. • History of deprivation:

– high benefit uptake– low employment– poor housing– high teenage pregnancy– social problems.

• Multiple social housing estates surrounding the city.• In 2001, 37% of those aged under 16 were in income-deprived

households. • 20% of year 11 pupils not in education. • Approx. 600 Looked After Children and Young People.• 210 children subject to child protection plans.• Isolated city with large stable family networks within it. • Strong culture of family and friends placements within the city - 238

family and friends fostering households.

Background of the Short Breaks Team

• Part of the wider Prevention Services rather than Fostering Services. • Preventative and proactive support focus.• Started in 1998 as a smaller family support service. • Early referrals were very much family support and not child protection.• Short breaks are both emergency or planned.• Many emergency placements then extend to become planned placements. • Assistance for families with a wide range of issues including:

– parental illness– family dysfunction– families in stress and crisis– children with behavioural and emotional difficulties– abused or neglected children.

• Section 47 investigations (CA89).• The scheme has grown and evolved:

– children in need of protection– children subject to child protection plans– public law outlines.

• Support is often high end with higher risk families.

Multi Agency Working

• Team works with other prevention services• Children and families have multi service

involvement.• Marlborough Family Support Service

– Four bed residential home– Outreach services – Respite for families in crisis – Short Breaks.

• Family and Friends Team.• Fostering Duty Team, Central Duty Team and

Emergency Duty Team.• Emergency Carers.

A few facts and figures

• Carer Population:• Number of active approved carers: 40• Number of ongoing assessments: 15• Number of carers who are emergency only: 1• Number of carers who are planned only: 4• Number of carers who are planned and emergency: 35

• Children and Placements:• 22nd January 2009 to 22nd January 2010• Total number of referrals of to the scheme: 266• Total number of children (emergency and planned) placed with carers: 203• Number of emergency placements for children: 118• Number of planned placements for children: 85• Total number of children receiving planned short breaks at this time: 116• Highest number of children allocated to a short break carer on a planned

basis: 10

The child’s perspective and situation

• Situations where children are in family and friends placements.

• Families where parents have mental health issues or ill health, inc terminal illnesses.

• Families where parents are using alcohol and drugs.• Situations where children are subject to child protection

and /or neglect concerns, and may have child protection plans.

• Families where they are experiencing dysfunction such as volatile family situations and arguments.

• Children and young people displaying volatile and severe behaviours.

• Large families in generalised crisis and management issues.

• Families experiencing adoption breakdowns.

Benefits for childrenVoluntary arrangements albeit under duress at times.• Full introductions if planned. • Less split loyalties for children and guilt or worries for parents/carers.• Matching children and carers.• New experiences, opportunities and a “snapshot” of “normal” family life.• Opportunities to:

– BE LISTENED TO,– different family routines,– go places– have basic needs met such as being clean, being praised, being cared for– have boundaries.

• Positive relationships and enduring attachments.• Safe place to be, and opportunity to express themselves.• Time to be a child ie not being a carer.• Different family life and aspirations, and this can have a strong motivating

factor for choices around their future, schooling and just what is possible.• FUN + POSITIVE MEMORIES = SELF ESTEEM.

What children think

• “I have a short break because “of my mam drinking and the arguing…it gets me away from home a bit..I love lots of other fun things we do which I never do at home…I love it Sue never gets drunk and I really enjoy going there” (Terry 11yrs).

• “It gives me and my nana a break from each other...Sue helps me with education…she gives me praise…I no I can talk to Sue and she listens…I love her and I know she loves me…I’ve also been camping and ..I really enjoyed that I carnet see Sue or Paul not been in my life” (Nik 16yrs, length of SB is 5 years).

• “Sometimes things get a little too much at home…I feel I have someone to talk to who listens to me and understands which really helps” (Jamie 15yrs).

• “We go places, break for me and nice and relaxing and a change of secenory, nothing I don’t like...it gives my dad a break” (Jordan 14yrs).

• Children rated their short break as between 9/10 out of 10.

Conclusions• Evolution and change over the last twelve years.• Needs led - lines and approvals “blur” at times – look at Sue!• Dramatic shifts in cases and types of placements.• Preventative approach.• No specific time limit but regular reviews.• Team of skilled, motivated and flexible carers. • Support to carers established to enable them to support children:

– leisure service passes– Foscars– Max card passes – regular support and supervision– carers’ evenings.

• We are proud of our committed carers who are supported by a small but close knit number of family placement officers. We are all working together to offer support care for those children and families who need it whatever their difficulties.

Moving forward

• Closer working with the Disability Team.

• ‘Carers’ profiles’.

• Short breaks carers’ consultation group.

• CWDC.

• Possible extra staff.

Thank youAny questions ?

Isabelle.Boddy@hullcc.gov.uk

Lynsey.Fowkes@hullcc.gov.uk