Professional Support Services

In addition to the assessment work PPS undertakes we have a team of staff with a variety of skills to assist in meeting the needs of children and young people in the community and/or in public care.

We can Offer

  • Individual structured time to allow respite for the main carer.  This includes activities, life story work or supporting the carer in their home.
  • Working on behaviours i.e. introduction back to school.  We believe that children not in school should have structured education time during school hours to encourage them to return to school.  If children/young people manage the educational input they will have a positive activity at the end of the week.
  • Home support to assist families with budgeting, parenting, routines, standards etc
  • Plan and structure Independent Living Skills for young people leaving the care system and young people with Learning Difficulties.  This entails working with budgeting, nutrition, employment, housekeeping and dealing with everyday issues i.e. changing a plug, using a washing machine etc
  • Supervised/Observed contact for children/young people looked after, separated parents etc
  • Assistance with personal care needs.  If appropriate, we can offer an holistic package of personal care and activities
  • Babysitting to allow parents time together
  • Transport for children/young people to and from contact, and children/young people needing to be placed outside the family etc.

(This service is intended to remove the difficulties and stress that may arise with some parents and/or children being able to attend assessment sessions)

Emergency Call-out to support placements in crisis, to support families when Child Protection issues are being identified, to transport children to adoptive placements, or back to placements, if they have absconded or to offer emergency accommodation

Standards

The referrer is expected to inform PPS of the expected outcome or of any completed risk assessment or highlight any potential risks associated with the work.  PPS will also carry out an assessment once the work is agreed.

In doing this we will:

  • Provide reports
    • Our aim is for all reports to be typed and forwarded to the commissioning professional within seven days of completion of the task, unless otherwise discussed.
    • We can use our report format, or one that is agreed between the parties involved.
  • Maintain confidentiality at all times.
  • Work within:
    • Children Act 1989
    • Human Rights
    • The General Social Care Council values and principles.
  • Facilitate positive communication between the young person/family and the referrer.
  • Ensure the welfare and safety of children.  This is paramount and we will immediately bring to your/Social Services attention:
    • any issues raised during the work being undertaken
    • any child protection, or significant concerns, during the work
  • Provide agreed pricing.  All pieces of work outlined in the referral/contract will be given:
    • A fixed agreed price, prior to commencement of work
    • A fixed time limit which PPS will adhere to.

(Should the circumstances of the agreed work change we will discuss with the commissioning professional as soon as this is evident, to renegotiate the referral/contract if necessary).

  • Provide you with all relevant electronic documentation, on completion of the work.  In order to comply with the Data Protection Act, any information on our computer system will be erased one month after completion of the work, unless it is required for our ongoing work (for example attending court).
    • Hard copies of the electronic information can be supplied if requested.  This is a chargeable item.
  • Expect the referrer to inform us of the agency policies and procedures relevant to the work being commissioned.
  • Deal appropriately with any complaints about our work.  These will be investigated under the PPS complaints procedure.
  • Ensure that the delivery of our service will be undertaken within PPS’s policies and within the legal framework.  All work is underpinned by anti-discriminatory practice.

PPS can provide a list and copy of all of our policies and procedures if required