Nursery GIRFEC policy

• Providing leadership and strategic support to implement the changes in culture, systems and practice required within and across agencies to implement Getting it right for every child

Foundations of 'Getting it right for every child'

The Getting it right for every child approach is based on solid foundations. There are ten core components and a set of values and principles which bring meaning and relevance at a practice level to single-agency, multi-agency and inter-agency working across the whole of children’s services. They can be applied in any setting and circumstance where people are working with children and young people.

Core components

Getting it right for every child is founded on ten core components which can be applied in any setting and in any circumstance.

1. A focus on improving outcomes for children, young people and their families based on a shared understanding of wellbeing
2. A common approach to gaining consent and to sharing information where appropriate
3. An integral role for children, young people and families in assessment, planning and intervention
4. A co-ordinated and unified approach to identifying concerns, assessing needs, and agreeing actions and outcomes, based on the wellbeing Indicators
5. Streamlined planning, assessment and decision-making processes that lead to the right help at the right time
6. Consistent high standards of co-operation, joint working and communication where more than one agency needs to be involved, locally and across Scotland
7. Where necessary a lead practitioner to co – ordinate and monitor multi – agency working for children and young people
8. Maximising the skilled workforce within universal services to address needs and risks as early as possible
9. A confident and competent workforce across all services for children, young people and their families
10. The capacity to share demographic, assessment, and planning information electronically within and across agency boundaries

Values and principles

The Getting it right for every child value and principle build from the Children’s Charter and reflect legislation, standards, procedures, and professional expertise:

Promoting the wellbeing of individual children and young people

This is based on understanding how children and young people develop in their families and communities and addressing their needs at the earliest possible time.

Keeping children and young people safe

Emotional and physical safety is fundamental and is wider than child protection

Putting the child at the centre

Children and young people should have their views listened to and they should be involved in decisions that affect them

Taking a whole child approach

Recognising that what is going on in one part of a child or young person’s life can affect many other areas of his or her life

Building on strengths and promoting resilience

Using a child or young person’s existing networks and support where possible

Promoting opportunities and valuing diversity

Children and young people should feel valued in all circumstances and practitioners should create opportunities to celebrate diversity

Providing additional help that is appropriate, proportionate and timely

Providing help as early as possible and considering short and long-term needs

Supporting informed choice

Supporting children, young people and families in understanding what help is possible and what their choices may be

Working in partnership with families

Supporting, wherever possible, those who know the child or young person well, know what they need, what works well for them and what might be less helpful

Respecting confidentiality and sharing information

Sharing information that is relevant and proportionate while safeguarding children and young people’s right to confidentiality

Promoting the same values across all working relationships

Recognising that respect, patience, honesty, reliability, resilience and integrity are qualities valued by children, young people, their families and colleagues

Making the most of bringing together each worker’s expertise

Respecting the contribution of others and co-operating with them, recognising that sharing responsibility does not mean acting beyond a worker’s competence or responsibilities

Co-ordinating help

Recognising that children, young people and their families need practitioners to work together, when appropriate, to provide the best possible help

Building a competent workforce to promote children and young people’s wellbeing

Committed to continuing individual learning and development and improvement of interprofessional practice.

The 'Getting it right for every child' approach

The Getting it right for every child approach is about how practitioners across all services for children and adults meet the needs of children and young people, working together where necessary to ensure they reach their full potential. It promotes a shared approach and accountability that:

• builds solutions with and around children, young people and families
• enables children and young people to get the help they need when they need it
• supports a positive shift in culture, systems and practice
• involves working better together to improve life chances for children, young people and families

National Practice Model

When assessment, planning and action are needed, practitioners can draw on the Getting it right for every child National Practice Model, which can be used in a single or multi-agency context, and:

• provides a framework for practitioners and agencies to structure and analyse information consistently so as to understand a child or young person’s needs, their strengths and the pressures on them, and consider what support they might need
• defines needs and risks as two sides of the same coin. It promotes the participation of children, young people and their families in gathering information and making decisions as central to assessing, planning and taking action
• provides a shared understanding of a child or young person’s needs by identifying concerns that may need to be addressed.

The National Practice Model is a dynamic and evolving process of assessment, analysis, action and review, and a way to identify outcomes and solutions for individual children or young people. It allows practitioners to meet the Getting it right for every child core values and principles by being appropriate, proportionate and timely.

It is not intended or designed to replace existing methodologies but it does contain the key elements of a single planning process that should in turn lead to a single child’s plan. As such, it can be used as a ‘common tool’ alongside and in conjunction with other processes and assessment tools.

It is a way for all agencies and workers who support children, young people and their families to begin to develop a common language within a single framework, enabling more effective interagency working.

Routine information needs to be recorded using the National Practice Model, in the same way as information recorded for children or young people who may need additional help. Information recorded in universal agency systems may become critical in understanding a child or young person’s journey when he or she needs either enhanced single-agency or multi-agency support. This routine information may be of immense value in assessing a child’s additional needs.

Using the National Practice Model in this consistent way allows practitioners in any agency or organisation to construct a plan and take appropriate action. It also allows for regular and consistent reviewing of the plan.

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