Decision details

To decide whether to establish a “Together With” Team within the Early Help service which will support universal and first touch services to become more able to:
•Identify the needs of individuals and families at the earliest opportunity, particularly those associated with Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)
•Initiate early intervention measures which remove, reduce or mitigate the adverse impact of ACE
•Engage and support in a way (‘Together With’) which encourages them to find and implement their own solutions to issues and which help them to become more resilient and self-reliant.
•Reduce dependency on specialist tier 2 and 3 services including social care.

RESOLVED - To establish a “Together With” Team within the Early Help service:

Option 1 - Do Nothing - This would not address the numbers of inappropriate referrals ‘passed on’ to children’s social care and other specialist services taking up their time and resources to resolve.
Option 2 - Achieve under current capacity - This would involve staff seeking to undertake this role in addition to existing responsibilities. They would not be able achieve the change and learning required, nor would they be able to dedicate the time required in addition to their other responsibilities.
Option C - Establish a new “Together With” team - This would provide the capacity to deliver the required work with universal and first touch services, building on successful approaches delivered within the Early Help service.

Option 1 - Do Nothing
Option 2 - Achieve under current capacity

The Cabinet member Policing and Community Safety was consulted as the lead member for Early Help