Knowsley Complex Care and Resource Panel

1. Purpose of the Panel

The Complex Needs and Resource Panel will meet every month to consider requests for funding where either:

• A comprehensive assessment of need by more than one agency identifies that a child or young person needs are so complex, that this need may only be met by additional funding from more than one agency for example, health, education, social care. This also includes requests where the complex needs' funding is required during the transition from Children's Services into Adult Services;
• An assessment of need by Social Care identifies that a child or young person and their family need additional support that meets the criteria for the children with disabilities team;
• Applications are to be submitted to Panel using a Panel referral form which is available on ICS and the Liquid Logic Early Help System;
• Care packages will be scheduled for review annually, or when the health professional or key worker identifies the need of an earlier review.

Access to respite care at Fullerton Grove (see Fullerton Eligibility Criteria Procedure) will be requested at Panel so that Panel members are aware of the totality of support the family receives. This will also enable packages of support to be coordinated with the respite arrangements for each individual family.

The Panel will oversee those packages of care and agree review timescales (as outlined above) to ensure the package remains appropriate.

2. Principle

Before a child or young person is presented to the Panel, there must be detailed consideration of why existing local resources at Universal, Targeted and Specialist level provision cannot meet the needs. Consideration must be given to the Short Breaks Local Offer meeting the identified need before a request is made to Panel for additional resources.

All packages of care will be focused on promoting independence and reducing dependence therefore there is an expectation that requests for Panel will be outcome focused and where possible time limited. Lead Practitioners will be expected to report back on outcomes achieved as part of agreed packages at Panel reviews.

3. Process

1. A lead professional for the child must be agreed and any request for the Panel must have completed the Panel paperwork by the Lead Professional in partnership with all practitioners involved in the care of the young person;
2. The format for application will be a proforma summarizing the specialist assessments that have been undertaken by professionals and should clearly demonstrate what the unmet needs are in relation to the young person and also how the proposed plan will address them. This document is available on ICS and EHM;
3. The application must be informed by a Single Assessment covering the whole needs of the young person and not just in one particular setting. This will be demonstrated by evidence of a whole week in the life of the young person to include, for example, school holidays, pre-school and during school hours. The application will not be considered in isolation or from one agencies perspective. There is an expectation that a multi-agency meeting will have taken place prior to the application being submitted to ensure that all unmet needs are identified and the proposed care plan addresses them. The assessment must include the intended outcomes of the proposed package of care;
4. The assessment must evidence consideration of a continuing care funding application. If this is not thought appropriate the rationale must be explained on the panel application. If this continuing care is considered but the decision is that the child or young person does not meet the criteria, again the rationale must be clearly explained. The panel will consider whether or not to appeal this decision;
5. This assessment must be shared with the parent/carer and child/young person where appropriate and their comments must be included;
6. Assessments are subject to review by the respective agencies as part of their governance arrangements;
7. All applications must be reviewed by the Team Manager of the Children with Disabilities team or as appropriate by the Lead Practitioner for Children with Disabilities in Family First and then submitted via ICS or EHM to the children social care business hub;
8. The papers will then be circulated to all Panel members prior to the Panel for consideration. Specialist assessments are available for more detail;
9. The Lead Professional will be invited to the meeting to present the case with any other key practitioners. The Panel will discuss the case and will make a decision and inform the Lead Professional in a timely manner;
10. Documented decisions will be circulated within 10 working days of the Panel meeting. These will be circulated to the referrer and relevant commissioning leads and finance leads. Decisions from Panel are to be added to children's case files within the relevant service area;
11. All details of children's packages will be kept on ICS or EHM and the file should provide a holistic overview of other resources accessed by families in order to produce a full picture of the support families are receiving;
12. The Lead Professional is responsible for feeding back the Panel outcome to the family;
13. The criteria to return to Panel for review is when circumstances of the family change significantly to warrant a review or when the Panel request a review; or when scheduled for review as outlined above;
14. All negotiations for commissioned packages of support are to be carried out through Procurement;
15. Urgent cases can be dealt with outside of Panel by the designated representative but must be brought to the next Panel for ratification;
16. Panel decisions are final. Any appeals are to be directed through the complaints procedure.

4. Membership and Governance

Membership:

• Chair – Head of Service, Social Care (Local Authority);
• Vice Chair – Commissioning Manager – Children;
• Children with Disabilities Social Care Team Manager;
• Representative for Health Authority with responsibility for funding decisions;
• Representative from Education Services with responsibility for funding decisions;
• Finance Officer;
• Other professionals who manage access to resources as required:
  • Manager of Fullerton Grove;
  • Short Breaks Development Officer;
  • Positive Behaviour Support Service.
• The Lead professional presenting the request and assessment (to present);
• CWD Lead from Family First (Early Help).