Page 7 - Guidance for Children’s Services Early Help and Children’s Social Care :: Portus

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07 Co-ordinate and 09 Make sure there is
integrate support someone responsible for

An integrated and coordinated approach to support creating a safety plan
is more likely to encourage the best conditions for
recovery. Creating a safety plan can help to reduce the risk of
harm. The safety plan should be personalised and
• To co-ordinate the best support, discuss with the co-created with the child or young person and their
child and family about other sources of support family. The child or young person should keep a copy
e.g., school, GP, specialist services of the safety plan

• Most schools and colleges have in-house • Self-harm safety plan
psychological support, and many have Mental • Suicide safety plan
Health Support Teams available for their pupils.
• In the first instance ask the school to put you in
contact with the Designated Safeguarding Lead or
Mental Health Lead 10 Be Open: Listen, Believe,

• Refer to the list of resources and sources of help Support
listed in this document
You may be the first person that they have spoken to,
and it is important to establish a non-judgemental
and trusting relationship. Often, individuals may feel
08 Identify the best placed ashamed, embarrassed, confused, or powerless. Take
time to listen, to believe in what they are telling you
person to co-ordinate and to support them through their journey.
assessment and ongoing support

• Does the child or young person need urgent
psychiatric or medical assessment? If so, contact
the SWL St. Georges Crisis Line or refer to the
local accident and emergency department..
• Refer to the Categories of Need and Pathway
to help with this decision
• For children and young people in the ‘Getting
Help’ category the school may be best placed to
co-ordinate the help and support
• For children and young people in the ‘Getting
More Help’ or ‘Getting Risk Support’ have a
conversation with the Clinical Services team or
equivalent to discuss whether the school can
support or whether there is a need for a CAMHS
Social Care referral
• Whether support sits with the school or CAMHS,
ensure that a designated lead worker and support
plan is in place to support the child with a risk and
strengths assessment, ongoing care and support
including safety planning

Portus - A Safe Space - Guidance for Children’s Services Early Help and Children’s Social Care
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