SPOA DSL Briefing 2019 This briefing will cover

‘SPOA’ DSL Briefing 2019

This briefing will cover: • What is SPOA? • How does SPOA work? • Making a Referral to SPOA • Level 3 Services • Level 4 Services

What is SPOA? ‘SPOA’ stands for ‘Single Point Of Advice’ and is the single point of advice across the whole county for all referrals into either Children’s Social Care or Early Help.

How does SPOA Work? • SPOA should not hold cases longer than a maximum of 24 hours. • SPOA sends referrals to either Early Help or MASH (Soon to include CAMHS). • SPOA can sign post L 2 services. E. g. Schools or Health Visitors to provide support. • SPOA does not accept photo’s or video’s but a body map is fine. • Not every family assessed at level 3 will automatically receive a service. • Re-directs referrals under the 3 month rule.

The purpose of SPOA is to: • Enable Children’s Services to be able to respond to the right referrals to ensure that children and their families are provided with the appropriate support and interventions in the timeliest way. • Provide a single contact point for all agencies across East Sussex. • To streamline the referral process into Early Help, Children’s Social Care and soon to include CAMHS. • To ensure that families get the right support by the right agency in an efficient way. • To reduce duplication in services and ensure that families receive a more coordinated approach as defined in the Continuum of Need.

Contacts in SPOA

Making a referral to SPOA • Establish if concerns are at CP threshold that require immediate protective action – call SPOA immediately and follow up with a SOR. • If immediate CP response is not required discuss your concerns with your agency Safeguarding Lead/Manager to identify the level of need using the Co. N. • Complete a SOR and email it to SPOA – Referrer must advise the family that you are making the referral and discuss consent for a Early Help Keyworker. If this is not done SPOA will request that you do this before SPOA can consider the referral. • Don’t leave referrals to the week before school holidays. • Ensure information reaches SPOA as soon as possible and not waiting until the end of the day. • Follow up with a request for feed back from your referral if you have not received one.

Level 3 Services EHKW will be considered NEVER guaranteed! • EWB (Emotional Well Being Team) • 0 -5 CCKW (Children Centre Key Worker) • 5 -19 EHKW (Early Help Key Worker) • STKW (Short Term Key Worker) • FKW (Family Key Work)

Level 4 Services • • MASH / Children’s Social Care U 19 YOT – referred to by Probation and Courts CAMHS – referred to by GP, medical professionals and self referrals.

Table-top discussions (10 mins) • Tables in group 1 – review of SORs • Tables in group 2 – attendance scenario All groups to review the materials, discuss issues and then provide feedback