Key projects and strategies of the Children's Provider Services

Herefordshire Children and Young People's Partnership Forum are currently working on the following development projects to improve the way different organisations work together to improve the services received by children and families in Herefordshire.  You will find more information about some of our projects through the navigation on the left

Locality Services 

Organisations across Herefordshire public services (HPS), the Wye Valley trust and beyond are working together in locality areas to help families receive the support they need quickly so that problems are resolved at an early stage.

To make delivery of services more local and accessible, the county has been divided into eight locality areas, each supported by multi-agency groups.

Groups and organisations working with families get together on a regular basis to discuss needs, agree support and monitor the effects of that support.  These multi-agency groups include GPs, health visitors, children’s centres, social workers, youth workers, education welfare, educational psychology, family key workers, schools and the police.

Each  locality has a multi-agency office  where families can come to receive advice and support in their own neighbourhoods.  This means that children, young people and their families can choose where to get the support they need rather than having to travel into the city.

This approach to providing families with help has already produced excellent results across the county.  Families spend less time telling their story to different professionals and don’t have to travel to different venues in the country to get help.  Holding one regular meeting of professionals to discuss a number of families at a time reduces costs, and makes information sharing and planning for support much easier and effective.

Families and local agencies are already reporting improvements.  The approach has been endorsed by two recent Ofsted inspections of children’s services, which have highlighted the multi agency groups and locality working as a real strength, and an area of excellent practice.

In addition, the multi agency offices are more efficient for staff as time and travel costs are saved by being able to work in the communities where the families they serve live.

The multi agency offices are as follows:

• Ledbury - Ledbury Primary School
• Weobley and Kington – Lady Hawkins High School
• Golden Valley and Kingstone – Kingstone and Peterchurch Children’s Centres (prior booking only)
• Ross on Wye – The Ryefield Centre
• Bromyard – HOPE Family Centre
• South Hereford City – Green Croft Children’s Centre
• North Hereford City – Blackfriars Offices
• Leominster – former Minster Science block adjacent to Earl Mortimer College

For more information contact Debbie McMillan for the south areas (01432) 260978 or Tina McGrath for the north areas (01432) 261921
 

Information Sharing

Information sharing is key to the Government's goal of delivering better, more efficient public services that are co-ordinated around the needs of the individual. It is essential to enable early intervention and preventative work, for safeguarding and promoting welfare and for wider public protection. Information sharing is a vital element in improving outcomes for all.