Children & Young People's Workforce L2
MU 2.9: Understanding partnership working in services for children and young people
This unit is about public organisations, agencies and professionals working together by sharing information and expertise knowledge to provide a comprehensive and holistic service to meet the needs of children and young people.
- Referrals to public agencies and professionals will usually be made when concerns are shared about a child or young person's health, learning or home circumstances.
- Referrals to public agencies and professionals can be made by practitioners, parents and carers and by the child or young person themselves.
- Referrals are made to different agencies by the care or educational setting manager who will complete a Multiple Referral Form or Common Assessment Framework form (CAF). Before completing the form, parents or carers consent has to be obtained.
The table below shows the functions of different agencies and professions and the support that is offered by them.
| Agencies and professionals | Functions | Reasons for making referrals |
|---|---|---|
| Doctors(GP) | Diagnosis potential medical conditions. Referred by carer, nursery, school, health visitor |
Child who is failing to communicate may be referred to a GP for test to identify
problems such as a hearing impairment. Delay in walking or for a medical condition. |
| Health Visitors | Visit and gives advice on feeding, weaning on new births Gives support to new parents. Works with other professionals to retain the overview of the health and well-being of children and family in the area. Trained on safeguarding of children. | Child who is not eating may be offered advice and information on how to encourage children to eat. To check and monitor the physical developments of new born babies. Provide specific support - post natal depression. Provide families with specific support around health areas of concern. |
| Social Services | Provide co-ordinated service to families who have a range of issues. Referred by nursery carer or school setting, health visitor, GP, police. | Child who is being abused is referred to social services. Signs of abuse. Safe guarding issues. |
| Speech & Language Therapist | Work to improve communications. Referred by Local Education Authority or GP. | Child who has difficulty talking may be referred to a speech therapist. Delay in language development |
| SENCO (special educational needs coordinator) | Coordinates with other professionals to provide the necessary support for the child.
Ensuring that needs of pupils with special educational needs are met. Provides additional support for children with special educational needs and challenging behaviour. Also liaise with parents. Every school has a s.e.n.c.o policy and a SEN coordinator. If parent has any concern over child's progress, then they can contact the SEN coordinator. |
Child with special educational needs: cerebral palsy or autism, asperges syndrome or dysphraxia. Child who behaves aggressively towards others in the setting. |
| Educational psychologist | If child has special educational needs, nursery or school will discuss issues with parents and any interventions. If no progress then child will be referred to the educational psychologist after receiving permission from parents. School contacts the Local Authority who arranges for an educational psychologist to carry out an assessment on the child. | Dyslexia and learning difficulties |
| Paediatricians | Has expertise knowledge and skills to support children with a range of issues. Referred by a GP after assessment. | Dyspraxia ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) Developmental impairment Developmental delay Medical conditions such as epilepsy, asthma, obstructive sleep apnoea, genetic syndromes and cerebral palsy |
| Physiotherapist | The role of the physiotherapist is to assess and manage children and young peoples with movement disorders, disability or illness. Provide physical intervention, advice and support. Referral can be made by any health professionals: paediatricians, GP, health visitor or school nurse. | Delay in physical and motor development Physical disability Cerebral palsy ( impaired motor function |
| Child psychologist | Provide counselling and other forms of therapy A child psychologist specialises in understanding thought processes and actions of children and interpreting them to guide appropriate mental health treatment. Referral from GP, hospitals, social workers | Emotional behavioural problems: excessive anger, bed wetting or eating disorder, cries, mood and depression Social isolation or trauma events or abuse. withdrawn worried and stressed sulky or tearful Insomnia , poor appetite, academic or social functioning |
| Identify other partnerships within YOUR work setting | Describe the function of the partnerships in your setting | Outline the support provided by the partnerships in your setting |
Find out how referrals are made in your setting and describe the process step by step |
Reasons for partnership between carers and parents
- Parents can provide comprehensive information about their child, such as background, preferences and so forth.
- Carers can support parents with emotional or social problems.
- Carers can give parents confidence in their parenting skills.
- Carers can encourage parents to engage in their children learning.
Barriers to developing partnership
- Stressful lives and circumstance - poverty, disability, illness or single parenthood.
- Language barriers - some parents may lack confidence in speaking English if it is not their first language.
- Work pressure - long hours and unpredictable work patterns.
Can you think of anymore?
| Characteristics of partners | Barriers to working together |
|---|---|
| Have expertise knowledge | May lack experience or not be specialised enough. Using jargons and terminologies that are familiar. May not be a good listener. May only speak English May be too opinionated. Unable to understand the needs of others Maybe rude or arrogant. Maybe be ignorant of other culture. |
| Have good communication skills | |
| Be non-judgemental | |
| Be empathetic | |
| Show respect | |
| Identify other characteristics below | Describe barriers to working together |
Working in parnership Working with disabled and young children
Click on the quiz below and see how much you have learned.
MU 2.9: Working in partnership
Click below for topic MU 2.9 in pdf format
REFERENCES
DFE (2014) Development Matters in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS)
DFE (2014). Statutory framework for the early years foundation stage
DEF(2014). Early years (under 5s) foundation stage framework (EYFS)
DFE (2014) Keeping children safe in Out of hours provisions
DFE(2014) Early Years Outcomes
Parents - guide to EYFS (2014)
What to expect and when (2014)
The British Association for Early Childhood Education
(Supported by DFE)
Every Child Matters 2003)
Effective Pre-school and Primary Education 3-11 Project (2003-2008)
DFE (2008) Effective Pre-School and Primary Education 3-11 Project (EPPE 3-11)
Parliament (2003) Every Child Matters
Tassoni et al (2010) Level 3 Diploma Children and Young People's Workforce (Early Learning and Childcare). Pearson: Harlow Essex
Caroline Meggit et al (2011) CACHE Level 3 Children and Young People's Workforce Diploma: Early Learning and Child Care. Hodder Education: London
www.gov.uk/government/
publications/2010-to-2015-government-policy-childcare-and-early-education
www.education.gov.uk/publications
www.foundationyears.org.uk.
www.legislation.gov.uk/
www.4children.org.uk
DFE (2014). Statutory framework for the early years foundation stage
http://www.foundationyears.org.uk/
eyfs-statutory-framework/
DFE (2014) Keeping children safe in Out of hours provisions
http://www.foundationyears.org.uk/
eyfs-statutory-framework/
DFE(2014) Early Years Outcomes
http://www.foundationyears.org.uk/
eyfs-statutory-framework/
Parents guide to EYFS (2014)
http://www.foundationyears.org.uk/
eyfs-statutory-framework/
What to expect and when (2014)
http://www.foundationyears.org.uk/
eyfs-statutory-framework/
The British Association for Early Childhood Education
http://www.early-education.org.uk
(Supported by DFE)
Every Child Matters 2003)
http://www.education.gov.uk/
consultations/...
/EveryChildMatters.pdf
Effective Pre-school and Primary Education 3-11 Project (2003-2008)
https://www.education.gov.uk
DFE (2008) Effective Pre-School and Primary Education 3-11 Project (EPPE 3-11)
http://www.gov.uk
Parliament(2003) Every Child Matters
https://www.education.gov.uk/
consultations/
.../EveryChildMatters.pdf