Children and family care

Children's social care was formed in April 2006 and is one of six service areas which make up the children and young people's service.

Children's social care is committed to providing good quality services to support children, young people and their families and our aim is always to put children and young people at the centre of all our work.

The services provided by children's social care follow from specific Government legislation, including the Children Act 1989 and the Children Act 2004, and the Department for Children, Schools and Families "Every Child Matters: Change for Children" agenda.

There are six main service areas in Children's social care, as outlined below:

Assessment and safeguarding service

The assessment and safeguarding service is responsible for the assessment and provision of services to children in need or to protect children from harm. The main areas of work are:

to assess the needs of children, young people and their families
to provide services to children in need
to provide a safeguarding service to children and young people, working in partnership with other agencies and the North Yorkshire Safeguarding Children Board to protect children.

Looked after children service

The looked after children service is responsible for children who cannot, for whatever reason, live with their families. The service aims to support children living with relatives, family friends, foster families, or in children's homes.

The main areas of work are:

to provide services to children and young people who are looked after, including those who receive short break services
to provide support and specialist services to effect change so that where appropriate, children can return to the care of their families
to ensure plans for children and young people are agreed and acted upon within identified timescales
to provide long term support, including leaving care services to young people.

The disabled children's service

The disabled children's service is responsible for providing a range of services for children with complex health and learning needs.

The main areas of work are:

to provide services to disabled children and their families based on an assessment of their needs
to provide information and advice from specialist staff, working closely with colleagues in health, education and the voluntary sector
to assist families in planning for the future
to provide short breaks in one of our three specialist residential centres or in family settings in partnership with Barnardo's and Action for Children.

The child placement service

The child placement service is responsible for the provision of three children's homes, three resource centres for disabled children, the recruitment, training and support of foster carers, and the adoption service.

The main areas of work are:

to recruit foster carers and prospective adoptive parents
to provide training and support for foster carers and prospective adoptive parents
to manage the specialist fostering scheme and the treatment fostering project
to develop and deliver services in line with the requirements of the Care Standards Act 2002
to manage and deliver residential provision for children who are looked after.

The youth offending service

The youth offending service is responsible for working with young people who have offended or who are at risk of becoming involved in offending behaviour.

The main areas of work are:

to protect the public by preventing crime and reducing re-offending
to provide support and specialist services to children and young people to prevent their involvement in criminal activity, reduce offending behaviour and promote social inclusion.

The strategy and performance service

The strategy and performance service is responsible for supporting the operational work of children's social care in a variety of ways, including monitoring and evaluating performance, the production of policies and procedures, workforce development and quality assurance processes.

The main areas of work are:

to manage the child protection conference system
to review the arrangements and plans for the care of looked after children and young people
to manage the quality assurance process and provide performance updates, audits and reports
to co-ordinate and integrate policies and procedures in children's social care
to provide a children's rights and advocacy service for children and young people
to carry out responsibilities under various pieces of legislation
to deliver a workforce development service for social care staff and foster carers.

We believe that good practice in equalities benefits everyone and therefore aim to provide equality of opportunity for children and young people in respect of access to appropriate services, and for staff and colleagues with whom we work in partnership.

Young people's council

The young people's council is run by and for young people. Its aim is to ensure that young people participate in, and are consulted on, matters which affect their lives, and that their rights are upheld. The young people's council meets four times a year.

Information leaflets for Children's Social Care

What We Do and Where to go for Help [107kb]

This leaflet tells you about some of the services offered by the Children’s Social Care Service to support children, young people and their families.

About Social Care records [198kb]

This leaflet is about information and records that we may keep in Children's Social Care and about your rights, under the Data Protection Act 1998, to access information about yourself.

Assessments [198kb]

This leaflet provides information on the types of assessment that may be carried out with families, and what you can expect from the process.

Care Proceedings: A Guide for Families [147kb]

This leaflet provides information about what will happen when Children’s Social Care decide to start care proceedings.

Transitions [88kb]

This leaflet gives information about the move, or transition, between Children's Social Care and Adult and Community Services, provided for disabled young people, which occurs between the ages of 16 to 18.

Consent to share Information [73kb]

This leaflet explains the requirement for Children’s Social Care to provide certain information to the Government on children who are looked after, or in need, and explains the consent to share information process.

Comments, Compliments and Complaints. [1Mb]

This leaflet provides information on how to make a comment, compliment or complaint about a Children's Social Care service that you have received.

Leaflets for children

Initial and core assessments: a guide for children and young people [3Mb]

This leaflet explains what these types of assessment are, what their purpose is, and how children and young people are involved in the assessment process.

A young person’s guide to foster care [4Mb]

This leaflet explains what being fostered means, and what a child or young person can expect if they are fostered.

Child protection leaflets

Child Protection Conferences: a guide for young people [136kb]

This leaflet provides information for young people on child protection conferences and what their purpose is.

Child Protection Conferences: a guide for parents and carers [139kb]

This leaflet provides information on child protection conferences and what their purpose is.

The Enquiry: a guide for parents and carers [250kb]

This leaflet provides information for parents and carers on the child protection enquiry process.

Private Fostering [166kb]

This leaflet explains what private fostering means, and outlines the responsibilities of private foster carers, parents, and Children’s Social Care in private fostering situations.

Looked after children review leaflets

Looked After Children - A Guide for Parents [190kb]

This leaflet outlines for parents the purpose and process of the Looked After Review.

Looked After Children - A Guide for Children and Young People [206kb]

This leaflet outlines for children and young people the purpose and process of the Looked After Review.

The Four Month Permanency Review [168kb]

This leaflet explains the purpose and process of the Four Month Permanency Review.

Looked After Children - A Guide for Adoptive Parents [186kb]

This leaflet outlines for adoptive parents the purpose and process of the Looked After Review.

Looked After Children - A Guide for Foster Carers [167kb]

This leaflet outlines for adoptive parents the purpose and process of the Looked After Review.

Useful downloads

Children and Young People's Plan 2008 - 2011 [2Mb]

The Children and Young People's Plan for North Yorkshire sets out the priorities of how we are going to achieve the Every Child Matters outcomes for every child and young person in the County.

Children's Centres: Building Brighter Futures [338kb]

Children's Centres: Building Brighter Futures

Weblinks

Please note: All external websites open in a new browser window. North Yorkshire County Council is not responsible for the content of external websites.
Department for Education
Department for Education website
Office for Standards in Education
Office for Standards in Education
General Social Care Council
The General Social Care Council is a regulatory body responsible for setting professional standards of conduct and practice for social care workers and their employers.
Children's Workforce Development Council
The Children's Workforce Development Council was set up to support the implementation of the "Every Child Matters" agenda by ensuring that those who work with children and young people have the best possible training, qualifications and support.
North Yorkshire Strategic Partnership
The NYSP brings together the principal public sector agencies in North Yorkshire to promote economic, social and environmental well-being of communities in the County.
Children and Young People's Strategic Partnership website.
The Children and Young People's Strategic Partnership unites all partners providing services for children and young people at both a strategic and local level.
North Yorkshire Local Area Agreement
The Local Area Agreement is the three year "deal" between the main public sector agencies in the area, other partners and central government to improve services and the quality of life in North Yorkshire.
North Yorkshire Safeguarding Children Board
Advice and information for children, families and professionals about local child protection arrangements.