I have decided to write my essay about multi-agency and partnerships, this will focus upon how practitioners will communicate and work together closely, including barriers that professionals may face when they are trying to work together. Many practitioners and professionals that work with children have a duty to safeguard them, and prioritise their wellbeing above all-in my essay I am going to look at how multi-agency partnerships can benefit a child that has a special educational needs, including what can happen to a child if barriers are not overcome. After working with children that have special educational needs, I have first-hand on experience on the needs they have, and how much they will rely on each professional that has an impact in their health and wellbeing. Although many of the children I worked with were not severe, there were a minority of the group that were not able to communicate and in some cases, walk. I have chosen to study children and young people with special educational needs because I would like to firstly find out, and then present how a multi-agency team can work together to support a child with a special education need, and how it benefits the child. I have witnessed the struggle parents go through when they bring up a child that has SEN, and they rely greatly on the professionals that care for their child, and hope that their support will, in time, make a difference.
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When working in a partnership with other professionals, it is always important that each practitioner has the best interest of the child at mind. When we say “working in partnership” we don’t necessarily mean working with another professional, we can work in partnership with parents, families or even siblings and friends of the child. Multi agency is when there is a solid communication and regular co-operation between several organisations, working in a multi-agency can take place when there is a concern about a child’s wellbeing, if the safe guarding of a child is not met, during crime prevention, social welfare programmes or for research. Different organisations will communicate with each other if there is an issue that has risen which could be related to a specific topic, or if one organisation wants to gain knowledge or share information. Different organisations and professionals will have expert knowledge on different subject areas, for example a teacher may contact a health visitor for information or advice regarding a child in their care, and this is because the teacher may not be qualified to offer advice or support to the child and their parent regarding this area. If the health visitor feels that the issue is important, or there is room for concern then the teacher will then refer the child to the correct professional, for example a speech therapist.
This type of multi-agency working is significant as each organisation are able to share information to gain the same result, which is for the child to have holistic wellbeing and for them to be protected for harm (all working to benefit the child). This can relate to any practitioner, as a GP will do their best to ensure a child is given the correct advice about being healthy, whereas a teacher will do their best giving the child the best education.
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In a setting, there can be concerns raised about a child and their development stages, for example, if a child has delayed development in speech, language or communication a practitioner can then either consult a member of staff that is more senior than them, or in other cases they can contact the parent about making a referral to a specialist. Furthermore, if the issues are not taken further immediately, or are ignored for a period of time, a child may suffer. A child that struggles with their speech, language or communication development may later have to deal with other areas of development being effected later on in life, this can sometimes be short term, but also can be long term. If practitioners or parents fail to consult a professional regarding any issues then a child can suffer from many different issues in addition to the main concern, some children may develop difficulty when understanding information, which can potentially affect their educational development as their learning will be effected. A child that isn't confident when they are communicating can stem from finding it hard to be understood by other people, they can then become isolated and struggle to make friends and socialise.
Although it may seem farfetched, if a practitioner has referred a child to a specialist and there may be a waiting list, then the child can be suffering whilst on that waiting list, as a child gets older they will be more aware of their ability, and could then conclude that they are behind others, which can then negatively affect their confidence. Many children that suffer with a communication disorder could have an underlying problem which could be autism, which will cause a problem with their social development. Long term problems can then lead to children not reaching their full potential, experiencing difficulties in making and sustaining relationships and long-term problems with behaviour.
There are many barriers that could cause communication in a multi-agency group to break down. The different teams could have no communication with each other at all and avoid talking to one another. There could be a meeting held that is being regularly disrupted or not all professionals that are required can attend the meeting, if the professionals that do attend the meeting about the child have a big work load, then there could be many interruptions and distractions. Many professionals live in different areas, and their timetables/schedules will all differ, if regular meetings were to be held it may be difficult for every professional to attend as some will have other cases to deal with, or find it hard to have the time out of their work i.e. A teacher may struggle to get the time off during the day. If there were professionals absent from a meeting then this could result in important information not being included in a report which could therefore lead to a child being at severe risk. If the multi-agency isn’t communicating well then this could result in them not organising a regular meeting, some professionals may have regular updates about a child but they aren’t sharing that information so other professionals will be at a disadvantage, and so will the child. It is possible that some professionals that may be involved will not have received appropriate training to deal with the situation which could result in them feeling uncomfortable as they are out of their comfort zone. Different professionals will have different views and opinions on things as their priorities and main concerns for the child will vary. For example, the head teacher will be worried about the child’s education, and will encourage the child to attend school regularly and to be punctual whilst the social services are more concerned about the environment the child is living in, and what type of life they will be living. Different organisations have different opinions on what is best for the child, this could then affect the standard of care the child received. When a report is written about a child, it is important that all professionals involved with the child all contribute their opinion, and any knowledge known to them that is important. However, this is sometimes found difficult to complete as each professional has a slightly different input to the report, as their priorities will differ. Whilst writing a report, the correct evidence and history of the child may not have been written down in detail, or correctly so vital information that could have an impact on the child’s life is missed. This would end in a child possibly being at risk of harm as information is not being passed from one professional to another correctly.
The majority of these barriers could be overcome by ensuring good communication is met between each professional team as it is extremely important to pass information between the groups. A regular up-date should be sent out from the team that includes all important information that is necessary for other professionals to know, so that they are aware of any updates. Up-dates can be sent via e-mail, letter, meetings etc. It is highly likely that all professionals have access to the internet along with a working e-mail address that is accessible. A weekly meeting that ensures every part of the team is able to attend, this will make it easier for information to be exchanged and updates to be made to avoid falling behind on the case which could have serious consequences for the child.
When a child or young person has a Special Education Need, then there is many professionals that will be involved in supporting them, these professionals can range from a health visitor, a school 1:1, an education psychologist or even a paediatrician. Each member of the multi-agency team should work together and closely with each other, and use an appropriate approach to the situation ensuring they provide the best possible support for both child and their family. All of these professionals will co-operate and work together for the best benefit/outcome of the child.
If the development of children, or a young person is not following the expected pattern it is important not only to recognise this, but also to implement early intervention to maximise development and promote positive outcomes. Different types of intervention might include help from professional specialists, specific adaptions or assistive technology and equipment.
There are many multi-agency professionals that will work together to achieve the same over all aim-they all want to make a contribution to the child, ensuring the outcome benefits the child in the best possible way.
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In placement, there is a down syndrome child that attends the school, it is important for the teachers to ensure that they are treated as an equal to the other children in the school, for example, this child is prone to using bad language and spitting at other children-although the child has a condition that may prevent them from knowing any different, it is extremely important that the teachers in the school discipline the child so other children don’t follow suit.
All teaching staff in my setting were offered internal training, so they have the right experience in dealing with and educating a child with this particular condition, they had hearing support and specialist support teams.
The Special educational needs coordinator and the teaching assistant worked closely with other members of staff at a different school that have experience with working closely with a child that has Down’s syndrome. The school have now produced a communication book, with pictures and recorded information about the activities they have carried out through the day so the parents can understand what tasks their child has done. As a child with Down’s syndrome has limited communication skills, they may find it difficult to explain what they did.
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A child with Down’s syndrome could benefit from receiving help from a speech and language therapist as they provide support for children and young people with speech, language and communication difficulties.
As previously stated, children with Down syndrome suffer from learning difficulties varying from child to child, this means that they would definitely benefit in their education by seeing a Special educational need coordinator as they organise support services in schools and nurseries for children with special educational needs.
Depending upon the severity of Down’s syndrome the child has, the school may organise the child to see an educational psychologist. They will support their behaviour and education if there are any difficulties-although children with Down syndrome will struggle with education as they will have learning difficulties, it is up to the class teacher to decide whether or not that child needs this type of support. If the child also suffers from autism, which is possible in many cases the child/parent/carer will be given information about a sensory room which is a stimulation through all senses (light, sound, textures) for children with sensory impairments and children that are on the autistic spectrum.
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Working as a multi-agency is beneficial for children, young people and their families because they will receive constant support that has been built to suit their situation in the most effective way. This type of working is beneficial because it allows any issues to be identified earlier on before it is too late, it is easier and quicker to receive services or knowledge. By working this way there is better support for parents and the needs of children, young people and families will be met more appropriately. There is a better quality of service provide by all occupations that work as part of a multi-agency, and there is also a reduced percentage of people requiring long term, or specialist services by working in this way.
Communication is important when working in a multi-agency as all teams must be able to receive and pass on any information, they must also have the confidence to voice their opinion on something to a person they may not feel comfortable with. Breakdown in communication can happen when there are disagreements on something-perhaps there is different views on a situation which may cause animosity between the groups. Also, different teams have different policies and procedures to sit their occupation, and their role in the child’s life, for example, a teacher should not expose anything about a child unless they think they are at risk. The multiple-agencies may struggle to have a meeting where all members are involved which will lack information, if the paediatrician cannot attend for a reason then the social worker may lack important information about any new injuries a child may have which could then potentially become ignored-each member of the multi-agency team are important as long as you work together. If breakdowns are avoided, and all jobs are carried out professionally and successfully, the child will be healthy, however in some cases breakdown in communication has happened which has resulted in children being let down i.e. the baby P case. The baby P case illustrates the consequences of bad decision making, for the short life that baby P had he was let down by many professionals, some who were not doing their job properly (or at all) and some that made the decision to let him stay with his mother as they thought this would be better for the child. Baby P was visited at least sixty times from his birth, to the death which could potentially have been avoided. In 2000 there was a similar case that had happened in the same area was the Victoria Climbie case. An eight year old girl who was killed by her aunty whom was her guardian at the time and her boyfriend. The director of the Victoria Climbie foundation spoke about the baby P case saying “This is even worse than the Climbie case because all the signs were there but they never saw them”.
Baby P visited the local hospital two days before his death with several injuries one being a broken back, however the paediatrician that treated him, (Dr Al-Zayyat) unfortunately could have prevented his death if she had done her job properly. Dr. Al-Zayyat decided the best decision at the time was not to examine baby P as he came across as “miserable and cranky”
There are many multi-professional teams that would be involved in a case that could be based upon the way a child is being treated. A child has many professionals that will impact the way they learn, live, and have life experiences. All professionals have their own skills and priorities for a child however the ultimate goal to achieve is shared which is the safety and well-being of the child. From teachers, to the police, to voluntary organisations-these will all have an opinion on the cases and will contribute to the report.
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Although the teacher has a main role of being an educator, they must also make the child feel safe and secure whilst being in school. Another professional that could have had experiences with the child that could impact the report is the schools SENCO (special educational needs co-ordinator). Often, not always but very often a child that is being neglected at home will have a type of learning need which is why the SENCO could have engaged several conversations with the child, potentially including information about their background at home and how they are treated. A SENCO is also a creative way to overcome barriers as they have regular communication with other professional bodies regarding the progress of the child. The teacher should build strong relationships with both children and parents however this could be found difficult if the parents are offended, or have a problem with the class teacher reporting abuse or neglect which could create animosity. Although the teacher has a main role of being an educator, they must also make the child feel safe and secure whilst being in school.
A health visitor will only have contact with a child if they are under the age of five, otherwise the child will have to visit their GP. A doctor will treat acute and chronic illnesses as well as provide preventive care. If a child is taken to a GP with injuries such as broken bones or bruising then the GP will often refer them to the hospital to be treated however if this occurs regularly and is suspicious then the GP has the opportunity to contact social services just to alert them of potential abuse taking place. Most GP’s are trained to be aware of the areas that are used as indicators for abuse.
A health visitor has various roles but their main aim is to help people avoid illness and promote a healthy lifestyle. They will ensure the mother feels comfortable after birth, and is able to provide a good standard of care. If a health visitor feels that the child isn’t receiving the right care, or the environment that they are living in is unsuitable then they may get in contact with social services so that they are able to make a professional judgement.
A social worker will work within a community to help find solutions to most problems they are dealing with. The social services are often in contact with all multi-agencies as they are the organisation that deal with the family closely, and visit them regularly for ‘checks’. Social Workers work closely with schools, and will have regular communication with the class teacher or head teacher of the school that the child attends. A Social worker will have close contact with families and parents/guardians of children that are suspected of being neglected or abused however parents that are being visited regularly by a social worker may feel uncomfortable that they are being accused of abusing their child which may cause conflict between the two.
A family support worker will give emotional or practical help or advice to families with long or short term difficulties. They will encourage the fact that children should be better off with their families, and should not be taken from them unless it is vital, and the child is known to be in danger. A family support worker will also help families that are dealing with drug and alcohol addictions, and will find the right support for you.
Gingerbread is a voluntary organisation that provides advice, support and campaigns for single parent families. There is a helpline available where expert advisers give answers and offer free training. This voluntary organisation has had 95 years of experience. This organisation has an aim that is living in a society where all single parent families are valued and are treated equally.
There is a voluntary organisation called ‘I can’. This type of organisation helps children with speech, language and communication needs. Their aim is to live in a world where all children are supported and develop the necessary communication skills that are needed. Their ‘mission’ is to ensure that no child should be isolated or left out because of a difficulty speaking or understand speech. This charity also offers a free call back service with a speech and language therapist.