GIRFEC
The Way Forward
Part A – Autumn 2013
Learning Intentions
By the end of this session you will have:
• an understanding of the legislative context of GIRFEC
• an understanding of the revised Continuum of Support
• an operational understanding of how the new
processes fit within the CoS
• an action plan to support implementation of the new
approach in your school
• Awareness of e-learning tool for all staff
Why GIRFEC?
• 2006 Scottish Executive introduced the
GIRFEC approach
• Subsequent policies encompass GIRFEC
including:
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The Early Years Framework
Curriculum for Excellence
We Can and Must do Better
Equally Well
• Children and Young Person Bill
Children and Young People (Scotland) Bill
• Proposed GIRFEC duties:
• Local Authority Children Service Plans
• Agreed definition of wellbeing
(SHANARRI)
• Named Person Role
• Single Child’s Planning Process
• Statutory duties to share information
Reminder of the Principles of GIRFEC
• Promoting the wellbeing of individual children and young people
• Intervening early in the process to facilitate positive change
• Keeping children and young people safe
• Putting children at the centre
• Building on strengths and promoting resilience
• Working in partnership with families
• Respecting confidentiality and sharing information
• Making the most of bringing together each worker’s expertise
Could GIRFEC have made a difference?
“The essence of GIRFEC, is that an
integrated approach should be taken
towards the wellbeing of children. It
includes a proposal that every child
should have a “named person”, to act
as a conduit for any concerns about
the child’s wellbeing and to address
them, either by helping parents
access additional support or, if the
child is deemed to be at risk, by
getting other agencies or social
services involved.
Every time another child dies at the
hands of their carers, the cry goes
up: “Never again”. Imagine if that
promise – made and broken so many
times – could one day be delivered
on.”
http://www.scotsman.com/news/dani-garavelli-fatal-mistakes-1-3029459
Information Commissioner Statement
“While it is important to protect the
rights of individuals, it is equally
important to ensure that children are
protected from risk of harm.”
“If there is any doubt about the
wellbeing of a child, the Data
Protection Act should not be viewed
as a barrier to proportionate
sharing.”
Ken Macdonald, Assistant
Information Commissioner for
Scotland & Northern Ireland
5 Key GIRFEC Questions
1. What is getting in the way of this child or young
person's well-being?
2. Do I have all the information I need to help this child
or young person?
3. What can I do now to help this child or young
person?
4. What can my agency do to help this child or young
person?
5. What additional help, if any, may be needed from
others?
SHANARRI
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My World Triangle
• Main tool for assessing a child’s current
circumstances
• Identifies strengths and pressures in all aspects
of a child’s life
• Introduces a mental map
• Helps practitioners explore a child’s experience
• Identify needs and risks to a child’s wellbeing
Resiliency Matrix for Analysing Information
Resilience
Normal development under difficult
conditions e.g. secure attachment,
outgoing temperament, sociability,
problem solving skills
Protective Environment
Factors in the child’s
environment acting as
buffer to the negative
effects of adverse
experience
Adversity
Life events or
circumstances posing a
threat to healthy
development e.g. loss,
abuse, neglect
Vulnerability
Those characteristics of a child, their
family circle and wider community which
might threaten or challenge healthy
development e.g. disability, racism, lack
of or poor attachment
Daniel, B. and Wassell, S. (2002)
Assessing and Promoting Resilience in Vulnerable Children
Resiliency Matrix
• Information may already be gathered around My World
Triangle along with more specialist information
• For some children, can be used simply as a mind map to
make sense of information and to plan next steps.
• For children who are experiencing more complex
difficulty, strengths and pressures experienced by the
child can be plotted on blank Resiliency Matrix
The National Practice Model
Key Roles – Named Person
The legislation will ensure that all children and
young people from birth up to the age of 18
have access to a Named Person
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pre-birth to 10 days:
11 days to school entry
P1 to P7
S1 to S6
S4-S6 (not in school)
the midwife
the health visitor
the head teacher
the head teacher
to be decided
Key Roles – Named Person
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Main point of contact for a family
Involve families in decision making
Record concerns that are raised
Use the GIRFEC framework to assess the needs of the
child and plan for meeting needs
Be responsible for the implementation of a single agency
plan
Ensure information is shared with the right people at the
right time
Contribute to planning for children who need extra help at
key transition points.
The role of the Named Person should be no more than they
currently do in the course of their work.
Key Roles – Lead Professional
• Act as the main point of contact for the child and family and
relevant practitioners in relation to the Child’s Plan
• Ensure the Child’s Plan is accurate and up-to-date, implemented
and reviewed
• Support the child and family to understand what is happening,
ensure their views and wishes are heard and involve them in
decisions that affect them
• Make sure the child is supported through key transition points and
ensure a careful and planned transfer of responsibility especially
when another practitioner becomes the Lead Professional and/or
responsibility reverts to the role of the Named Person.
Single Child’s Plan
• One plan, to be used by a single agency or several
agencies working together to support the child.
• As Getting it Right for Every Child is being
implemented nationally, the Child’s Plan Meeting will
streamline the functions of existing forums, such as
Looked After Children Reviews, Child Protection Case
Conferences, reviews of children’s health and Coordinated Support Plan reviews.
• The format and attendees of the Child’s Plan Meeting
will reflect the complexity of the child’s needs and
circumstances.
• The Child’s Plan is co-ordinated by the/a Lead
Professional.
GIRFEC in West Lothian
Planning Pathways Overview
Level 1 CoS: Named Person Responsibilities
Wellbeing Concerns process
• Main point of contact for the family / public and other
professionals regarding the child
• Wellbeing Concerns Form to be used to record
concerns and to plan for further action
• Points to consider:
– How will this be used in our school/agency?
– How could it be used to record plans that already take place?
eg. IEP consideration, SfL discussions, decisions about within
school additional support
Wellbeing Concern Form
Level 2 CoS: Named Person responsibilities
Assessment of Wellbeing process
• The Assessment of Wellbeing form is the start of the Single Child’s
Planning process and is part of the Single Child’s Plan.
• Designed to support the Named Person in taking decisions about further
action
• Proforma is a place to record all information about an individual child
• Proforma aids decision making process for the Named Person
• Propose that process is implemented initially for all children for whom it is
appropriate in Nursery, Primary 7, current S1 and any children currently
at Level 3 of CoS. Ultimately, this requires to be in place for all pupils.
Points to consider:
How can we plan to implement this for the pupils as outlined above?
How can it support processes already in place in our school?
How could this be used in within my agency setting?
Assessment of Wellbeing form
Chronologies
“Chronologies have become one of the most talked about
and least understood tools in modern social care
practice”
SWIA Practice Guide
Chronology’s 2010
Definition of a Chronology
A chronology is a factual record of a significant event or
change in circumstances (either progress or concern) that
impacts on the child’s safety, welfare and / or
development.
It is a tool to be used in partnership with children, young
people, parents, carers and practitioners so that everyone
can understand and respond to the unique circumstances
and experience of each individual child or young person
and the impact on their lives.
Core elements of a Chronology
• Key dates of birth, life events, moves etc
• Transitions, life changes
• Key professional interventions, reviews, hearings etc
• Facts
• Brief note of an event and reason for its significance
• Source of information
• The actions which were taken, including no action
Chronology Format
Date
of
Event
Detail of
Event
Action Taken
Outcome
Wellbeing
indicator
Code
Brief
description
of the
event,
including
the name
of reporter
A
description
of the
event and
any actions
taken
A description
of any
outcomes from
the action
taken
The most
relevant
SHANARRI
indicator
(Safe,
Healthy,
Active,
Nurtured,
Achieving,
Respected,
Responsible
, Included)
Each
recorded
chronology
item should
be
appropriately
graded for
significance.
Chronologies
• responsibility of Named Person
• helps to keep track of children’s
situation
• allows for a historical perspective on
circumstances and may suggest needs
Level 2/3 CoS: Named Person / Lead Professional
Child’s Planning Meetings
• Aim to streamline the process for schools and
children/families
• Importance of pre-meeting preparation
• Strengths based approach (training to follow)
• Clearer recording and action planning process
• Decision about whether a Lead Professional is
required should be considered at the meeting
Pre-Meeting preparation (professionals)
Pre-Meeting Preparation (Ch&YP)
Child’s Planning Meeting
Child’s Planning Meeting
Continuum of Support Level 4: SORG
• Presumption of Mainstream
• Remit of SORG (regular & transition)
• SORG referrals and feedback
Overview of Support
Educational Psychology Service
IT Support
Autism Outreach Service
Primary Behaviour Outreach
Secondary Behaviour Outreach
Dyslexia
ADHD Outreach
Hearing Impaired Service
English as an Additional Language
Home and Hospital Outreach
Language Outreach
Access Services
Child Protection Officer
Looked After Children Outreach
Pre-School Home Teaching Service
Music Therapy
Community Child Health
Child and Adolescent Mental Health
Service
Occupational Therapy
Speech and Language Therapy
Physiotherapy
Social Policy
Children and Disabilities Team
Criminal Justice
Children and Young People’s Team
Reporter to the Children’s Panel
Community Policing
E-Learning Tool
• Background
Lothian and Borders comprising of Edinburgh City
Council, Midlothian Council, East Lothian Council, West
Lothian Council, Scottish Borders Council, NHS Lothian &
NHS Borders have all worked together to produce a
foundation level interactive E- Learning module to
increase knowledge and understanding of GIRFEC.
• Expectations
All council staff will access and complete.
All other agencies will have access and complete,
including the voluntary sector.
E-Learning Tool
• TABLE OF CONTENTS
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AIMS & LEARNING OBJECTIVES
INTRODUCTION
THE GETTING IT RIGHT APPROACH
VIEWS OF CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE
NATIONAL PRIORITIES
THE 5 KEY QUESTIONS TO GETTING IT RIGHT FOR EVERY CHILD
THE NAMED PERSON
THE LEAD PROFESSIONAL
THE NATIONAL PRACTICE MODEL
SINGLE PLANNING PROCESS
MANAGING CONCERNS, RISKS AND INFORMATION SHARING
CHRONOLOGY
SUMMARY
ASSESSMENT & RESOURCES
• INTRODUCTION
• Lothian Borders comprising of Edinburgh
City Council, Midlothian Council, East
Lothian Council, West Lothian Council,
Scottish Borders Council, NHS Lothian &
NHS Borders recognised the importance
of a commonality of approach in the
implementation of GIRFEC and have
worked together to produce a foundation
level interactive E- Learning Module. This
Action Plan and next steps
• What do we need to do now to:
– embed the roles of the Named Person and Lead
professional within our school / setting?
– implement the Wellbeing Concerns process?
– implement the Assessment of Wellbeing Process?
– bring our school’s approach to chronologies in line
with GIRFEC guidance?
Follow Up Support
• ASN Team
– SORG – Alison Raeburn
– Chronologies – Alan Millar
– Child’s Planning Meetings – Jennyfer McNiven
• School EP (process and meetings)
• What support would you need to communicate the
GIRFEC guidance with staff?
• E-Learning Tool for all staff
Accessing the Documents
Edweb: ASN section
http://www.westlothian.gov.uk/article/3083/
GIRFEC