Family support

Under the Children Act 1989, the Social Services Department is responsible for providing advice and support services for ‘children in need’ and their families. Children and young people ‘in need’ would include:

• a child who may be accommodated by the Local Authority;
• a child who is lost, abandoned or is homeless;
• a child at risk or who has or is likely to suffer sexual, physical or emotional
  abuse or neglect;
• a child who is at risk of self harm;
• a child who is involved in, or at serious risk of involvement in, delinquent behaviour, including substance misuse;
• a child with a physical, sensory and / or learning disability or who has a serious
  long term illness;
• young carers – that is children who are providing care for a parent or relative
  with a disability and or an illness;
• young people who are about to leave the care of the Local Authority.

Requests for services

If you feel you need advice or support with child care issues,

• the first step is to discuss your needs with the Social Services Department.
• the second step – The Social Services will then assess whether your child is
  in need of assistance and support services.
• the third step is to decide with the social worker on the best way forward for you and your family.

We are therefore responsible for:-

• dealing with enquiries and requests for services
• initial assessment of the need for support services by Children and their families who may need assistance (within 7 days)
• investigating Child Protection concerns (sometimes jointly with the Police)
• completing full assessments on the needs of children within 35 days
• providing support services to assist children and their families

What is an assessment?

In order for us to know whether your child is a ‘child in need’ of support services, we will carry out an assessment of your child and family circumstances. This assessment could be very straightforward or it might involve a lot of questions in order to build a picture of your child and family to discuss issues and gather the necessary information.

We will always seek your written consent so that we can talk to other relevant agencies about your family.
The Social Worker will explain to you what ‘the assessment’ involves and how long it will take. We will inform you in writing of the decision at the end of the ‘assessment’ and explain to you what support services will be provided.

After the assessment

After conducting the assessment the Social Services will tell you whether your child is believed to be a ‘child in need’. If this is the case the social worker will work with you and other agencies if appropriate to arrange a package of support services. The services we provide will usually be time limited and will be reviewed regularly.

The type of services which we can offer are:-

• advice, guidance and counselling support
• practical help in the home or with child care arrangements ( for example, by a Home Carer)
• social activities for school age children
• assistance in cash or kind
• accommodation or respite care with foster carers or in a Residential Unit for children who are unable to live with their families
• family group meetings (Cwlwm) to discuss difficulties and problems and try to find solutions
• working with children / young people who have been before the Court and are subject to Court Orders
• working with children / young people who are on the Child Protection Register
• specialist services for Children with a disability or a long term illness
• providing support to young people who have left the care of Ynys Môn County Council
• providing accommodation for children / young people

We are also responsible for:

• recruiting and assessing Foster Carers
• giving support to Foster Carers
• developing the Fostering Services
• supporting day care providers: Childminders, Day Nurseries, Ysgolion Meithrin and Play Groups
• assessment of prospective adopters
• arranging adoptive placements and providing advice and support for adopted children and families

The Social Services has developed strong links with a number of voluntary organisations and provides funding to assist them to provide services on our behalf to children and their families. These include the main child care agencies such as:

• Barnados
• The NSPCC
• Action for Children

Working with other Departments or Agencies Under Section 27 of the 1989 Children Act, Social Services may also ask any other department or agency (e.g. Education, Housing or Health) to provide a service for a ‘child in need’, and that other departments must help ( unless this could conflict with their own duties).