Introduction and Context

The purpose of our tri.x suite of policies and procedures is to ensure transparent, accessible, and accurate information for our staff which enables us to deliver high quality services and maintain compliance with national regulation and standards.

Our overarching Council priority for children as expressed in Westmorland & Furness Council Plan 2023-2027 is:

"To safeguard children and support families and schools so that all children in Westmorland & Furness can grow up in a safe environment, and can fulfil their potential".

See Cumbria Children and Young People's Plan.

Children and Families

We will:

• Embed the Permanence Policy into practice;
• Continue to implement the Children Looked After (CLA) Strategy;
• Continue the development of our responses to the identified Emotional Wellbeing and Health needs of our Children looked After and Care Leavers;
• Deliver required improvements to the timeliness of Health Assessments for CLA;
• Recruit and retain a stable and secure workforce who are increasingly competent and confident;
• Continue to develop the role of the Early Help (EH) System and ensure the overall EH offer in areas is joined up, comprehensive and linked to the Thresholds including evidence of impact. To include the implementation of Signs of Success;
• Deliver the action plan to improve CSE multi-agency response and in turn – outcomes for children;
• Return Home Interviews are held within 72 hours and the resultant plans are used to improve outcomes for children. This is managed through our contracts with our providers;
• Utilise the learning from the service mapping exercise (Domestic Abuse) to inform & influence future commissioning;
• Contribute to improvement of consistency of practice and evidence of impact, learning from performance management and quality assurance activity demonstrating improved practice.

Learning & Inclusion

We will:

• Meet the needs of Children & Young People with SEND;
• Improve transition to adulthood for CYP with SEND;
• Prepare for Inspection;
• Work in partnership to safeguard children and promote their welfare;
• In partnership through the Children's Trust Board, deliver the CYPPP;
• Support the work of Westmorland & Furness Alliance of System Leaders (CASL);
• Deliver actions in the Council's Children's Improvement Plan.

Children's Services work within a national policy framework underpinned by a range of legislation and statutory guidance including:

• Children Acts 1989 and 2004;
• Children (Leaving Care) Act 2000;
• Care Standards Act 2000;
• United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child;
• Human Rights Act 1998;
• Adoption and Children Act 2002;
• Data Protection Act 2018;
• Working Together to Safeguard Children;
• Children and Families Act 2014;
• Children and Social Work Act 2017.