We believe that locality-based services provide the best opportunities for the earliest intervention to deliver preventative strategies.
Key elements underpinning locality-based services are:
- A focus on early help, including a dedicated early help role with an emphasis on evidence-based interventions.
- Targeted support for identified children and families at key transition points.
- The use of a common set of processes for team around the family, the lead professional and referral pathways.
- Consultation and feedback from children and families to shape and influence provision.
- It is recognised that children may move from one level of need to another and that agencies may offer support at more than one level.
- There will be one point of contact in each locality to ensure a co-ordinated response; this will usually be the Locality Service Manager.
- A commissioning approach used to design the service. A cycle of rich data, informing outcomes at a locality level should be used to determine need and service redesigns enabling more refined delivery.
- A performance framework should be produced for each area to support performance and delivery.