The ‘Early Help Strategy’ has been developed under the governance of Manchester’s Children’s Board and the ‘Multi-Agency Levels of Need (Threshold) Document’ has been developed under the governance of Manchester Safeguarding Children Board. Both documents are effective from Friday 25 October 2013.
The Early Help Strategy is a key element in Manchester’s vision to improve outcomes for children and young people in the City and the Strategy outlines how all partner agencies will work together to plan, commission and deliver, at the earliest opportunity, a range of responses and services to support children, young people and their families. Fostering the independence and resilience of families and communities is a central tenet of this Strategy and the emphasis is on working ‘with’ rather than ‘doing’ to.
The multi-agency level of need document replaces the existing Continuum of Need and Framework of response.
A key issue for this sector to take into account is that as of 1 April this year, all referrals to children’s social care from professionals or other agencies which are not child protection/abuse/serious harm should be accompanied by a completed MCAF.
The continuum of Need and Framework of response will no longer be used after 1 January 2014. The Multi-Agency Levels of Need (Threshold) Document will be the sole source of advice and guidance associated with levels of intervention for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children in Manchester.
A series of events to mark the launch of the Strategy and Threshold Document will happen before the end of the year and we will be circulating information to you.
To view the documents see attached.
If you have any questions or comments about these documents contact Beth Plant, on 0161 834 9823, or email: [email protected]