Lead Practitioner Support

In Gloucestershire, we believe that families are best supported by those who are already working with them, with additional support from local partners arranged as needed.

Those who know the children and families are often best placed to open the support with the family but no practitioner can know/do everything to help a family. In Gloucestershire there are different options for supporting children, young people and families depending on the presenting needs and the levels of concern. Partners in the community can draw in help from a number of different sources to ensure that the children and families are getting the right support at the right time. This must be undertaken with informed consent, for which further information can be accessed by clicking HERE.  Practitioners can use Gloucestershire’s Levels of Intervention to help identify the level of concern.  This can be accessed by clicking HERE.

Consent to share information

It is important for all professionals to understand when they should share information or refer to another service. The government has issued advice for all frontline practitioners and senior managers working with children, young people, parents and carers:

Information Sharing: Advice for practitioners providing safeguarding services to children, young people, parents and carers (July 2018)

 This makes clear that any professional who “has concerns about a child’s welfare, or believes they are at risk of harm…should share the information with the local authority children’s social care…and/or the police...If it is thought that a crime has been committed and/or a child is at immediate risk, the police should be notified without delay.” The above advice also contains a helpful ‘Myth-busting guide’. There is also guidance in Working Together. 

In general:

• you should always seek the parent’s consent; if you try to make a referral without obtaining consent you will be usually asked to do so.
• the overwhelming majority of parents will give consent and appreciate practitioners who are honest and direct with them.
• in certain circumstances you do not need a parent’s consent if
• it is evidently dangerous to the child to seek consent
• it would cause delay that would significantly add to the risk
• You may consider override seeking consent if the concern is about sexual abuse, forced marriage, ‘honour’ violence, female genital mutilation, fabricated or induced illness in a child.
• If you are unable to obtain consent or think it may not be appropriate you should seek advice from the designated or named professional or relevant manager in your organisation. Children’s services are happy to give advice to professionals about consent on 01452 426565, but this should not cause a delay in safeguarding a child or young person.
• The young person can consent themselves – this requires a judgement about their capacity, and you should seek advice (from within  your own agency or by phoning the Access and Referral Hub) or consult the NSPCC 

The Early Help Advice, Guidance and Support service will support Practitioners and those working with children and families to best help families. They can provide a wealth of tools, information, and training; and support Practitioners to write Assessment, Plans, gather the voices of children for family meetings, as well as help understand risk and safeguarding.  Further information regarding each role within the service can be found within the relevant drop-down below.

*REVIEWED SEPTEMBER 2022*