Access to Specialist and Safeguarding Services

Access to Hartlepool Children's Services (Safeguarding & Specialist Services) A Practitioners Guide to Categories & Priorities

This guide was agreed and became effective from the 1st of October 2008.

The guide was developed in consultation with other agencies and organisations. The guide is based on the local authorities statutory duties derived from legislation, namely the Children Act 1989, supported by guidance from central government and the development of case law.

The Purpose of the Guide

This is to ensure that children and young people can be directed or supported to access the most appropriate services as quickly and effectively as possible.

The aims of the guide

• To promote a common understanding of categories for assessment across the continuum of Universal, Targeted (vulnerable) and Specialist Services (complex or acute) Services
  
• To encourage the appropriate targeting of interventions to children and young people in need
  
• To promote the implementation of the Common Assessment Framework, Team Around The Child and the role of Lead Practitioner

The guide can be accessed by selecting the links below.

The document can be downloaded in individual sections:

• Part 1 Main Text: Introduction to Risk Management
• Part 2 Appendix 1 Categories & Priorities
• Part 3 Appendix 2 Flow Chart 
• Part 4 Appendix 3 Glossary of Definitions and Terms

Alternatively, you can download the whole document by following this link: Access to Hartlepool Children's Services (Safeguarding & Specialist Services) A Practitioners Guide to Categories & Priorities