A look at Agencies in Sheffield
CAMHS, Social Care, MAST, YOT
There are statutory agencies and non-statutory agencies. The most relevant statutory agencies are Social Care, Education and Youth Offending Teams. These are funded by the Government via the Local Authority, and have a duty to provide a service that reaches their thresholds. Likewise, families must also work with them, as failure to do so can often lead to court action by the agency.
Non-statutory (voluntary i.e. engagement is voluntary) includes NHS (including CAMHS) and MAST. These are also funded by the Government. Then there are charity agencies (e.g. MIND, Samaritans) who get their funding through charity and any available ‘pots’ of money that can be found through the Local Authority.
You may have heard people say that agencies cannot provide a service, or other negative comments relating to their service. Having worked in the public (and voluntary) sector for many years, I am confident that almost all, if not all, workers join their relevant agency with the best interests of children and their families in mind. However, with the current austerity measures and the associated cutbacks, these services have been reduced as waiting lists grow longer and thresholds for service very often seem out of reach. That said, there are many very capable professionals still trying hard to provide a good service. If required, I can offer you support in how to access them and work with them.
Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS)
CAMHS, as part of the NHS, treat mental health issues, as well as their community teams working with emotional and behavioural problems. Sheffield CAMHS currently works with children and young people up to the age of 16, when they then get referred to Adult Mental Health Services. Referrals to CAMHS are accepted from General Practitioners, Social Workers, MAST, Educational Psychologists, Paediatricians and the Clinical Psychology Department at Sheffield Children's Hospital.
Social Care & Multi Agency Support Teams (MAST)
Children’s Social Care services (previously known as Social Services) work with children and young people (and their families) up to their 18th birthday. Taken from Sheffield Children’s social care services
Services offered:
- Adoption
- Disabilities
- Residential care (looked after children)
- Fostering
- Family support
- Multi Agency Support Teams
- Children's social work
- Specialist Health
- Youth Offending
- Community Youth Teams
Our priorities We must make sure that the money we have is spent helping those in greatest need of our support. For children and families services we give priority to children who are 'in need'. Generally this means children:
- who need help to maintain their health or development
- with disabilities
- in need of protection
- living away from home (fostering, adoption and children in residential care)
Families that we become involved with will also have different needs. Some may be helped with information, advice or practical services. Sometimes families can experience problems that are complex, serious and require a more detailed assessment in order to plan the services that are needed.
There may be situations where families are generally coping but need help with specific problems. When a family is in crisis our family support service will help to:
- keep families together, preventing children coming into care
- give practical advice and help
- call on others to help like health workers or psychologists
- keep children safe from harm
We can also give advice about contacting other organisations that could help - such as housing, the health service or a voluntary organisation. Often these organisations will also contact social services to ask for help with a child, young person or family experiencing problems. From Wikipedia:
“Social care in England is defined as the provision of social work, personal care, protection or social support services to children or adults in need or at risk, or adults with needs arising from illness, disability, old age or poverty. The main legal definitions flow from the Health and Community Care Act 1990 with other provisions covering responsibilities to informal carers. That provision may have one or more of the following aims: to protect people who use care services from abuse or neglect, to prevent deterioration of or promote physical or mental health, to promote independence and social inclusion, to improve opportunities and life chances, to strengthen families and to protect human rights in relation to people's social needs.”
Youth Offending Teams
Youth offending teams work with young people who get into trouble with the law. They look into the background of a young person and try to help them stay away from crime. They also:
- run local crime prevention programmes
- help young people at the police station if they’re arrested
- help young people and their families at court
- supervise young people serving a community sentence
- stay in touch with a young person if they’re sentenced to custody
The youth offending team gets involved at the following stages if a young person:
- gets into trouble with the police or is arrested
- is charged with a crime and has to go to court
- is convicted of a crime and given a sentence
Usually, the police or court are the first people to contact the youth offending team. But family members and friends can also contact them if they are worried about a young person’s behaviour.
Youth offending teams are part of your local council and are separate from the police and the courts. They work with the police, probation officers, health (including mental health), housing, children’s services, schools and education authorities, charities and the local community.