Children/Family Support

MAFSS (Multi-Agency Family Support Service)

There are three Multi-Agency Family Support teams within the East Riding. Support can be accessed from the MAFSS teams by all professionals who have involvement with children, young people and families, also, self-referrals are accepted.

Self Referrals - What to do

Advice and Information

Please visit any one of our 14 Customer Service Centres where a referral form can be completed and forwarded to the Social Service's department. Alternatively, please refer to the page bottom for full contact details. Services provided include:

• Family Mediation
• Support and Therapy
• Family Group Sessions
• Parenting Advice, Guidance and Support
• Early Years Guidance
• Support and Guidance to Young People aged 16+ living independently
• Informal Advice and Guidance to Parents and Young People
• Child adolescent Mental Health Services
• Health Visiting
• Advice on matters such as - Drugs, alcohol, Solvent Misuse
• Teenage Pregnancy, Immunisations, Healthy Eating
• Carers Advice and Supported Lodgings

The teams have defined links with Education, Careers, Welfare Rights team, Priority Care (providing practical and domestic support), Youth Services, Specialist Team for Children with Disabilities and East Riding of Yorkshire Early Years Partnership.

Contact Services

Family Contact Service

Provides a flexible 7 days a week service for children and families in maintaining contact when:

• The child is looked after by the Local Authority. The Local Authority has a statutory duty to promote contact when it is within the best interest of the child.
• A child had been placed on the Child Protection Register, and there are concerns about the child's contact with certain family members.

The family Contact Service offers a flexible service to fit around families' day to day arrangements such as work, school etc. Wherever possible contacts can be arranged when it is convenient for all parties involved.

Supervised Contact

This is when a contact officer will supervise contact between a child and their parents, siblings or extended family members. The contact officer observes the interaction, play and communication between the child and family and this is recorded during or immediately following the contact session. Records of the contact sessions will be sent to your child's Social Worker and may be used to determine future arrangements for the child.

Your role in supervised contact

• It is important that the child maintains regular contact with their family where appropriate. The amount and frequency of contact is determined according to what is in the best interests of the child.
• During the contact session, it is your responsibility to ensure the safety of the child whilst playing with toys etc., and to clean up after them.
• During the contact sessions children get thirsty and hungry - please try to bring refreshments with you  for your child.
• You are advised not to use mobile phones during the contact session. We will not allow the child being supervised to be given a mobile phone to talk to another family member etc.
• The Contact Officer is informed by the Social Worker, who is allowed to attend the contact session. Please do not bring anyone else without prior arrangements.
• Parents who have to travel to a venue to see their child(ren) and families may be able to recover travelling expenses form the child's Social worker.
• Where appropriate - supervised contacts may be activity based, child(ren) and families are encouraged to discuss these arrangements with the Contact Officer.

If you are unsure as to any of the above or require clarification, please get in touch with the Contact Manager at the address below.

Venues for supervised contact

We use various venues throughout the East Riding in order to reduce the amount of travelling time for children. Copies of maps are available to parents/families who travel to a venue. A request can be made to the Family Contact Manager.

For venues where toys etc are not available, parents are encouraged to bring toys and games with them. The Contact Officer will be able to provide toys and games if this is not possible.

The Contact Officer has the authority to suspend contact

The principle purpose of the Contact Officer is to ensure the safety and well-being of any child involved in a supervised contact, and therefore contact may be suspended if:

• Parents/family members are under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
• Parents/family members are abusive towards the child or Contact Officer.
• When parents/family members persistently do not attend contact or arrive more than 15 minutes late
• When the child becomes distressed during a contact session and is unable to be comforted.

The Contact Officer will explain the reason why they have suspended the contact. This will be recorded and the Child Care Social Worker will be informed as soon as possible. Parents/family members will be informed when the contact has been reinstated.

For more information regarding the Family Contact Service please contact:

47/49 Manorfield Road
Driffield
East Riding of Yorkshire
YO25 5JE
Telephone no. (01377) 241273
Fax: (01377) 241639

Sure Start

Sure Start is a government programme that aims to give disadvantaged children a better start in life, by providing more and better opportunities for learning and development.

What does Sure Start offer?

Sure Start works with local parents and those who are about to become parents, to improve the chances and opportunities available to their children. It does this by providing better access to:

• Family support services
• Advice on nurturing and childcare
• Health care
• Early learning

Where does Sure Start operate?

In the East Riding, the only Sure Start area is the southern part of Bridlington. To check if you live in the area and to find out if you could benefit from the programme, contact:

Family Support

Priority Care

This facility is a short term support service to help determine longer term needs of children and families or in times of crisis.

This service can only be accessed through a referral from the Multi-Agency Family Support service or through contact with any Customer Service Centre. As with any of the services provided by the Social Services department, contact is made with the Council through the Customer Service Centres and then passed through to the Care Management team.

What do we provide?

• A period of support and assessment to determine long term needs.
• Support during the period of crisis or illness
• Assistance to new mums in developing skills
• Support to foster parents as appropriate
• Practical support to young people leaving foster care
• Support to young carers as appropriate