Decision details

A growing number of children and young people are showing signs of social and emotional mental health problems. This issue has been identified both nationally and here in Doncaster. Locally, this is evidenced through feedback from schools, through Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) and in high numbers of children presenting at Accident and Emergency units having self-harmed or attempted suicide.
The number of families open to early help has steadily reduced over the last two years, in comparison to the number of families open to statutory social care, which has increased. It is recognised that a number of pressures relating to the delivery of the Early Help offer have emerged which has necessitated a review of current processes and procedures. In addition, a number of corporate and partnership priorities have been identified during the COVID pandemic that require dedicated leadership capacity.
In order to drive internal and partnership priorities set out in the Innovation Unit report ‘Reducing Demand at the Front Door to Social Care’ and identified through the work of the Children and Families Cell, it has become necessary to create an additional two Grade 9 posts to support the leadership within Early Intervention services. These posts will be fixed term for one year whilst the development of the Early intervention and Prevention offer takes place, building on the successful pilot programmes led by the Local Solutions Teams.
The current pandemic has simultaneously increased the strain on families and reduced school capacity to manage early help cases, in particular step-downs from social care. This places a risk in the system for vulnerable children and young people, especially any not in an educational setting. These often end up in a re-referral into Social Care, placing greater pressure on an already stretched front door. Therefore, providing extra Early Help Officers in the form of Family Lead Practitioners means that educational settings will be better supported. In effect, the officers can catch the step-downs and ensure support is provided in a timely and appropriate manner.
Due to the above, this ODR seeks to establish the following posts:
- 2 FTE Early Help Pathway Leads (Grade 9) temporary for 12 months.
- 4 FTE Family Lead Practitioners (Grade 7) temporary for 12 months
Alison Tomes (Early Help Manager) will manage the additional Early Help Pathway Leads.

Recruit to four temporary agency posts to support schools to manage children and young people who are stepped down from social care, in particular into educational settings, many of whom have Social, Emotional and Mental Health needs, with direct early help support.
Provide additional leadership capacity by adding two temporary Early Help Pathway leads to support the early intervention process.
Allocate funding of £226k from the Council’s COVID-19 pressures fund.

Do Nothing – The impact of doing nothing is not a viable option, as this will result in vulnerable children and young people not being supported and ultimately, the likelihood of them being re-referred into Social Care. It places added pressure into educational settings who are clearly evidencing they are not able to provide the support they normally would due to the current circumstances.