CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE'S SERVICES
 

Since April 2006 support for children and young people has transferring to the Children and Young People’s Services with Education, Social Services and Health Authority input. Those working for the Children’s and Yong People’s Services have a responsibility and a duty under legislation to provide coordinated and integrated assessments of need for disabled children and their families.  It is their responsibility to identify the needs of the child, young people and parents/carers in partnership with families and then to see what services are appropriate to meet those needs. The staff of the newly formed Children’s Centres will carry much of this work out.

North Yorkshire County Council has a Specialist County Unit working with disabled children and their families.  The Disabled Children’s Services aims to work closely with parents, other agencies and voluntary organisations to ensure that varied and appropriate services are available They want to make sure services are being provided for children and families according to their needs. For example:  John may want to attend the local Scout Group but, without one to one support, this is not possible.  It may be appropriate to provide a support worker who can escort him rather than his parents.

In order to identify needs and for services to be assessed, an assessment is completed.  It may be possible for an Initial Assessment to be completed by a Social Worker and for services to be set up right away, if urgently required, for a limited period.  If a more complex support package is needed, then a Social Worker will undertake a more detailed assessment.

As parents/carers, you will be offered an assessment in your own right under the Carers (Recognition and Services) Act 1989 Section 2.  This will give parents/carers the opportunity to say what support they need in order to continue caring for their child.

If circumstances change then the support you are receiving may also need to change. Regular reviews will take place with your Social Worker to check that the services you are receiving are continuing to meet the needs identified or highlight any changes that have taken place.

If you have a child who has a substantial and permanent disability and would like an assessment, please contact the Customer Services Officers:

 
COMPLAINTS

If you have any comments to make about the services you receive (positive comments also welcome), leaflets are available from the Customer Access points and also County Hall, Northallerton.

If you have a problem or wish to make a complaint, remember that a friend or advocate can help you.  You will need to follow these stages:

First Step, tell a member of Children and Young People’s Services staff that you are unhappy with the service or with a decision.  It may be easier to talk to the member of staff you already know, but you may talk to any other member of staff if you prefer.  The person you speak to will then try to sort out the problem with you.

If you are still not happy, send a complaints slip to the Complaints Officer.  You can ask for help you complete the slip if you wish.  The Complaints Officer will ask a senior officer in your area to contact you to find out more about your complaint and what you wish to do about it.  The senior officer will write to you and let you know the result of the investigation.

After you have the result of the investigation, the Complaints Officer will write to you to see if you are satisfied with the outcome.  If you are not satisfied, you will be given advice on how to ask for your complaint to be considered by a panel of people at a meeting, which you can attend. This panel is known as the Complaints Panel.

If you are not satisfied with the way in which your complaint is being handled or with the eventual outcome, you have the right at any time to complain to the Local Government Ombudsman.  For a free booklet, including a complaint form, please write to the Complaints Officer:

 
The Independent Person Project                       Tel: (01904) 634614