Dumfries Galloway Alcohol Drug Partnership (ADP)
Child Protection Committee (CPC)
A Practitioner’s On-Line Toolkit (Checklists / Questions / Prompts) To Getting Our Priorities Right (GOPR)
Working Together with Children, Young People and Families Affected by Problematic Alcohol and/or Drugs Use across Dumfries and Galloway
Practitioner’s On-Line Toolkit (Checklists / Questions / Prompts)
Who developed this Practitioner’s On-Line Toolkit?
This Practitioner’s On-Line Toolkit has been developed jointly by Dumfries and Galloway Alcohol and Drug Partnership (ADP) and Dumfries and Galloway Child Protection Committee (CPC).
How has it been developed?
This Practitioner’s On-Line Toolkit has been developed from previous national and local GOPR/CAPSM guidance.
It has been developed in partnership with frontline practitioners and managers, across a wide range of services and/or agencies, who are working directly with children, young people and families affected by problematic alcohol and/or drug use.
It has also been developed and informed by the National Risk Framework and Toolkit to Support the Assessment of Children and Young People (Scottish Government 2012).
What does it aim to do?
This Practitioner’s On-Line Toolkit aims to:
· promote prevention; early identification; intervention and support to children, young people and families affected by problematic alcohol and/or drug use;
· ensure children, young people and their families get the right kind of help and support they need, when they need it, for as long as they need it;
· support all practitioners and managers working with children, young people and families affected by problematic alcohol and/or drug use;
· fit with and not replace existing single service/agency assessment and planning processes in relation to children, young people and families affected by problematic alcohol and/or drug use;
· support the Dumfries and Galloway Practitioner’s Guide to GOPR; and
· provide better outcomes for children, young people and families affected by problematic alcohol and/or drug use.
Who is it for?
This Practitioner’s On-Line Toolkit is for all practitioners and managers working with children, young people and their families within the public, private and third sectors across Dumfries and Galloway.
It is particularly for all those practitioners and managers within education and children’s services, adult services, health and/or alcohol and drugs services who are working with children, young people and families affected by problematic alcohol and/or drug use.
Parents and carers may also find it helpful.
How do you use this Practitioner’s On-Line Toolkit?
This Practitioner’s On-Line Toolkit has been developed as an On-Line Electronic Resource.
· It contains a number of Checklists / Questions / Prompts which support early identification and intervention.
· Each Checklist is presented as a Word Document Template which can be completed On- Line, downloaded and/or printed.
· All text boxes and/or fields within the Templates automatically expand to allow date input.
· Each Checklist contains some guidance about who can use it and when to use it.
· Each Checklist allows the author to include information about the child, young person and/or their parent/carer; to consider what the information is telling them; and to record the next steps to be taken.
· These Checklists do not replace professional judgment; instinct; and common sense.
· These Checklists do not replace any other single service/agency assessment and planning processes.
· These Checklists aim to support and complement existing processes.
Checklists
Checklist No 1: Reflective Practice1
All practitioners and managers in all services/agencies can use this Checklist to reflect on any early worries or concerns they may have witnessed or identified. This is a self-reflective Checklist.
Checklist No 2: Six Key GIRFEC Questions2
All practitioners and managers in all services/agencies can use this Checklist to reflect on any worries or concerns they may have about a child or young person’s wellbeing. This is a self- reflective Checklist.
Checklist No 3: Early Observations of Children and Young People3
All practitioners and managers in all services/agencies can use this Checklist to reflect further on any worries or concerns they may have witnessed or identified from recent contact with and/or observations of children/young people. This is a self-reflective Checklist which can be completed with or without the child/young person.
Checklist No 4: Early Observations of Parents and Carers4
All practitioners and managers in all services/agencies can use this Checklist to reflect further on any worries or concerns they may have witnessed or identified from recent contact with and/or observations of parents/carers. This is a self-reflective Checklist which can be completed with or without the parent/carer.
1 Source: Developed (with kind permission) from Fife CPC’s Practitioner’s Guide: Early Response Children Affected by Parental Submission Misuse (CAPSM)
2 Source: Developed from A Guide to Getting it Right for Every Child (Scottish Government 2012)
3 Developed (with kind permission) from Fife CPC’s Practitioner’s Guide: Early Response Children Affected by Parental Submission Misuse (CAPSM)
4 Developed (with kind permission) from Fife CPC’s Practitioner’s Guide: Early Response Children Affected by Parental Submission Misuse (CAPSM)
Checklist No 5: Further Considerations for Children and Family Services5
All practitioners and managers in children and family services can use this Checklist to reflect further on any worries or concerns they may have. This is a self-reflective Checklist which should be completed with the parent/carer.
Checklist No 6: Further Considerations for Adult Services6
All practitioners and managers in adult services can use this Checklist to reflect further on any worries or concerns they may have. This is a self-reflective Checklist which should be completed with the parent/carer.
Checklists No 7 to 9: Information to be Considered as Part of a Multi-Agency Assessment (GOPR2)7
All practitioners and managers in all services/agencies can use this Checklist to inform a holistic assessment of the impact of problematic alcohol and/or drug use on a child/young person’s Wellbeing. This is a self-reflective Checklist which can be completed with or without the child/young person and/or their parent/carer. In reflects the GIRFEC Practice Model My World Triangle.
5 Source: Developed from Getting our Priorities Right: Updated Good Practice Guidance For All Agencies and Practitioners Working With Children, Young People and Families Affected By Problematic Alcohol and/or Drug Use (Scottish Government: April 2013)
6 Source: Developed from Getting our Priorities Right: Updated Good Practice Guidance For All Agencies and Practitioners Working With Children, Young People and Families Affected By Problematic Alcohol and/or Drug Use (Scottish Government: April 2013)
7 Source: Developed from Getting our Priorities Right: Updated Good Practice Guidance For All Agencies and Practitioners Working With Children, Young People and Families Affected By Problematic Alcohol and/or Drug Use (Scottish Government: April 2013)
Checklist No 1: Reflective Practice8
Who can use this Checklist and when can it be used?
All practitioners and managers in all services/agencies can use this Checklist to reflect on any early worries or concerns they may have witnessed or identified. This is a self-reflective Checklist.
Name of Child or Young Person / Age / Date of BirthNo / Question / Notes
1 / What have I seen?
2 / What have I heard?
3 / What do I feel is unusual or different?
4 / What has actually happened?
5 / What is my concern?
8 Source: Developed (with kind permission) from Fife CPC’s Practitioner’s Guide: Early Response Children Affected by Parental Submission Misuse (CAPSM)
What is the information telling me?
Using this Checklist, analyse the information gathered and ask yourself the key question, “what is this information telling me?”
Consider the information gathered and identify the key risk factors for the child or young person or the parent/carer and their wider world. The Checklist will highlight the specific areas of concern / need / risk (your evidence) and should give you an overview of what you consider to be the key issues.
Now form a view as to the level of concern / need / risk for the child or young person or the parent/carer, taking account of the interaction between the child or young person or the parent/carer and their wider world.
What is the information telling you about the level of concern / need / risk?
What is the information telling me about the level of concern / need / risk? (Consider frequency, duration, severity, single or accumulative in nature– significance of factors in reaching a conclusion about the level of concern / need / risk).
What am I going to do next?
Date Completed / Completed By / Line Manager
Checklist No 2: Six Key GIRFEC Questions9
Who can use this Checklist and when can it be used?
All practitioners and managers in all services/agencies can use this Checklist to reflect on any worries or concerns they may have about a child or young person’s wellbeing. This is a self-reflective Checklist.
Name of Child or Young Person / Age / Date of BirthNo / Question / Notes
1 / What is getting in the way of this child or young person's wellbeing?
2 / Do I have all the information I need to help this child or young person?
3 / What can I do now to help this child or young person?
4 / What can my agency do to help this child or young person?
5 / What additional help, if any, may be needed from others?
6 / What are the child and the parents’ views?
9 Source: Developed from A Guide to Getting it Right for Every Child (Scottish Government: 2012)
What is the information telling me?
Using this Checklist, analyse the information gathered and ask yourself the key question, “what is this information telling me?”
Consider the information gathered and identify the key risk factors for the child or young person or the parent/carer and their wider world. The Checklist will highlight the specific areas of concern / need / risk (your evidence) and should give you an overview of what you consider to be the key issues.
Now form a view as to the level of concern / need / risk for the child or young person or the parent/carer, taking account of the interaction between the child or young person or the parent/carer and their wider world.
What is the information telling you about the level of concern / need / risk?
What is the information telling me about the level of concern / need / risk? (Consider frequency, duration, severity, single or accumulative in nature– significance of factors in reaching a conclusion about the level of concern / need / risk).
What am I going to do next?
Date Completed / Completed By / Line Manager
Checklist No 3: Early Observations of Children and Young People10
Who can use this Checklist and when can it be used?
All practitioners and managers in all services/agencies can use this Checklist to reflect further on any worries or concerns they may have witnessed or identified from recent contact with and/or observations of children/young people. This is a self-reflective Checklist which can be completed with or without the child/young person.
Name of Child or Young Person / Age / Date of BirthNo / Question / Yes / No / Not Sure / Notes
1 / Fractious baby – unsettled and crying?
2 / Not reaching developmental milestones?
3 / Poor attendance for immunisation or clinic?
4 / Erratic attendance at school or nursery?
5 / Child looking after siblings?
6 / Always or often hungry?
7 / Drawing pictures of inappropriate subjects e.g. syringes?
8 / Inappropriate language for age?
9 / Knowledge of drug terms and language?
10 Developed (with kind permission) from Fife CPC’s Practitioner’s Guide: Early Response Children Affected by Parental Submission Misuse (CAPSM)
No / Question / Yes / No / Not Sure / Notes10 / Withdrawn and not mixing with peers?
11 / Over familiar with strangers?
12 / Deterioration in physical appearance?
13 / Demanding attention?
14 / Difficult behaviour in school?
15 / Lack of concentration?
16 / Under-achieving?
17 / Always or often tired?
18 / Secretive and non-communicative?
19 / Reluctant to go home?
20 / Homework not done?
21 / Late for school?
22 / Self-harm?
23 / Truanting?
What is the information telling me?
Using this Checklist, analyse the information gathered and ask yourself the key question, “what is this information telling me?”
Consider the information gathered and identify the key risk factors for the child or young person or the parent/carer and their wider world. The Checklist will highlight the specific areas of concern / need / risk (your evidence) and should give you an overview of what you consider to be the key issues.
Now form a view as to the level of concern / need / risk for the child or young person or the parent/carer, taking account of the interaction between the child or young person or the parent/carer and their wider world.
What is the information telling you about the level of concern / need / risk?
What is the information telling me about the level of concern / need / risk? (Consider frequency, duration, severity, single or accumulative in nature– significance of factors in reaching a conclusion about the level of concern / need / risk).
What am I going to do next?
Date Completed / Completed By / Line Manager
Checklist No 4: Early Observations of Parents and Carers11
Who can use this Checklist and when can it be used?
All practitioners and managers in all services/agencies can use this Checklist to reflect further on any worries or concerns they may have witnessed or identified from recent contact with and/or observations of parents/carers. This is a self-reflective Checklist which can be completed with or without the parent/carer.
Name of Child or Young Person / Age / Date of BirthNo / Question / Yes / No / Not Sure / Notes
1 / Change in presentation – appearance and emotionally?
2 / Failing to keep appointments?
3 / Unusual events e.g. police involved?
4 / Short temper – use of harsh language?
5 / Missing cues from children?
6 / A&E admission or accidents?
7 / Employment issues e.g. Mondays off?
8 / Intoxication?
9 / Change in partner?