Welcome to Children's Social Care
You might be wondering, exactly what is it that the Children's Social Care Team do on the Isles of Scilly? The Children's Social Care Team works in partnership with families, children and young people across the
islands to provide a range of services. We also work with other agencies to ensure the best possible provision is available to everyone living on Scilly. We offer a broad range of services from family support to child protection and seek to work with you and offer support whenever you might need it, whether it's just a one off phone call or if you need some longer term support. For more information on our Children's Social Care Team, click here.
We would encourage you to contact us if there is anything you feel you may need help with or if you just need some answers to questions. You can trust that we are completely confidential. We can also arrange to meet you in a confidential space away from home if you prefer.
Our Promise to you...
We will be open and honest with you but respect your confidentiality and we will treat you with dignity and respect. We hope you find that we do not discriminate against anyone and are:
- Honest
- Reliable
- Flexible
- Easily accessible
Family Support
Most of our work on Scilly is to give individual support to families who for whatever reason are finding life hard. We can offer advice and guidance or signpost you to specialist services that will be able to help. This work may just be for a few weeks or could be longer term - whatever you need to feel back on track. For example, some mothers experience post natal depression after having a baby and social care can offer advice, support and/or assistance with respite childcare. Another example is assisting parents who are separating and need some advice on helping their children through this difficult time.
Children with disabilities and/or additional needs such as learning difficulties
We offer support to children who have additional needs and/or disabilities. We can offer advice and guidance as well as coordinating meetings with other professionals involved with you. We will help to ensure that a clear plan of support is agreed by everyone involved and that this is reviewed to see if it's working. This is especially useful at times of transition when a child starts school, moves school and/or leaves school.
Young Carers
If you are a child or young person who is providing care for another person, we can offer support and ensure that your needs are thought about and that we help you achieve the best outcome for you and your family. We can put you in touch with other young carers and other agencies who may be able to help and support you.
Private Fostering
Private Fostering is when a child under the age of 16 years (or 18 years if disabled) is cared for, and provided with accommodation for 28 days or more by an adult (who is not the child's parent or close relative) by private arrangements between parent and carer. In these situations, social care must make an assessment of where the child is living and who the child is living with to ensure that the child is safe and well cared for.
Child Protection
Sometimes there are allegations of abuse or serious concerns about a family and this may mean that child protection procedures will need to be followed, and a multi-agency plan developed to ensure that the children and young people in a family are protected from harm and risks of harm are reduced.
If you have an urgent concern about someone who you feel is at risk or a child in need of protection, please contact the Childrens Social Care Team or any of the other numbers listed below:
Out of Hours (After 5pm Monday to Friday, or on Saturday or Sunday: 01720 422699
Police: 01720 422444, or in an emergency, dial 999
NSPCC: 0808 800 5000
Domestic Violence: 01872 225629
Children in Care
We find appropriate places for children and young people in care on Scilly, as well as visiting them, arranging contact with their families if this is appropriate and ensuring that they are well looked after and properly supported.
Care Leavers
We work with young people who are leaving care and try to give them advice, guidance and help to move into independence in a supported way.
Adoption and/or becoming a Foster Carer
If you would like to foster or adopt, we can discuss what is involved and help you to be assessed and trained. We can also offer support having children/young people live with you if your application is successful.
Advocacy
We can signpost children and young people to an advocacy service if they are in care, need to attend a Team Around the Child Meeting, Child In Need or Child Protection Meeting, have a disability or need support to make a complaint against Children's Services. This advocacy service is called Barnardos, and their representatives come from Cornwall to work with us in providing this unique and helpful service to children and young people.
Safeguarding
We raise awareness of safeguarding issues with families and the wider community. We work with other agencies to offer training and information, as well as attending wider meeting including domestic violence and the community safety.
And much more...
We also work with other professionals on the islands to provide services such as promoting positive behaviour.
For some useful links, click here.
