How To Make A ReferralIn Merthyr Tydfil we seek to ensure that Services are delivered in a timely transparent manner.
Children's Services works mainly with families with high levels of need, but, where our direct involvement is not appropriate we can act to signpost customers to other Agencies who may offer the services which best meet the needs. Therefore, everyone in need of help first has an assessment to see if they are "eligible".
Duty And Assessment (Who Can Make Referral?)
You can ring or visit the Office yourself to make a referral or another person could contact us on your behalf this could include other Professionals, Health Visitors, General Practitioner's, relatives or friends. You may be the person ringing on behalf of someone. It may even be regarding someone you don't know, but where you have concerns regarding the child.
When you first visit or ring the Department you will speak to the Intake and Early Assessment Team - Duty Officer.
In some instances the Duty Officer may be able to resolve your issues straight away. If this is not possible your referral will be passed to a Social Worker who will make arrangements to see you or the person referred by appointment, either in the office or at home.
If you are calling to report a concern regarding a child/ren welfare. The Duty Officer will take all the details and advise you how the referral will be dealt with.
If you are concerned, it is important that we here from you and we would always listen and take any issues that you raise seriously.
Assessment
Generally, the Social Worker will arrange to meet with the family who has been referred to the Department. In order to undertake an assessment of need.
The family will be asked to sign an agreement to say that the worker can speak to the Health Visitor, General Practitioner or other Agencies involved. We have learnt that it is important to gather all relevant information to ensure that we can respond appropriately. If the child/ren are old enough they will be asked for their views.
The idea is to find out as much as possible about any difficulties so as to provide the best help and advice. The assessment might be quite short (seven working days) if the child’s needs are straight forward, or it may take up to 35 working days if there is lots of information to think about. If the family have particular needs arising from religion, culture or disability then the assessment will take account of this.
It is important that we work in partnership with the family to understand the issues and look at what support or services are needed.
People often worry that if they go to Children's Services their child will be taken away. Children's Services work is about keeping families together wherever possible and getting children who are in care back home. Even where there are concerns about the child’s well being the Social Worker will always try to work in partnership with the family and to involve them fully in the plans.
Social Services cannot take a child away against the parents wishes, unless there are serious concerns and they have asked the courts for a special order. This will happen if a child is likely to be harmed or the parent/s is unable or unwilling to co-operate in keeping the child safe.
Children In Need Services
After the assessment many people are helped by being put in touch with community organisations or parenting groups or through extra support from their Health Visitor. If the needs are more complex the family may offered help from a Social Worker or Family Support Worker. This may include help for the child/ren, visits from a Social Worker to provide support and advise or the chance to be involved in groups with other parents or a referral to the Gellideg Family Centre. The Children in Need service also works with families whose children have recently come into care so that they can return home, if at all possible.
The Department’s Child in Need services are not available without an assessment to see if the family meet the eligibility criteria. Children and Families does, however, fund a number of voluntary organisations who can be approached direct.
Child Protection
If the assessment shows that a child has been neglected or harmed or is likely to be so in the future, a Child Protection Conference will be held. The family will be invited to attend. This conference will decide if a child’s name should go onto the Child Protection Register and the reasons why, and agree a plan to make sure the child is safe. If this happens you will be allocated a Social Worker who will visit the family and also spend time with the child. The Social Workers aim will be to help them to safely care for the child and also monitor that they are well. This can be a very difficult time for families but it is important that the adults co-operate with the Child Protection Plan because if the Social Worker is really worried about the child and they are not let into visit or see the child when they need too, then they could get a court order to remove the child and/or have he or she examined by a doctor.
The child/ren is regularly reviewed and their name will be taken off the Register as soon as it is safe to do so. Again the aim is always to work with children and their families seeking to make sure that the best interests of the child is always first priority.
If you would like to speak to the Duty Officer, for advice or to make a referral please contact us:
You can visit us at: Customer Service Reception, Post Office Lane, Merthyr Tydfil
Write to us at: Merthyr Tydfil CBC, Integrated Childrens Services, Taf Fechan Building, Castle Street, Merthyr Tydfil, CF47 8BG
Telephone us at: 01685 724506
E mail us at: ICS.childrensservices@merthyr.gov.uk
Other Useful Numbers
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