INTEGRATED ASSESSMENT FRAMEWORK

Within the Scottish Borders Integrated Children and Young People’s Services Plan (2005 – 2008), the Scottish Borders Children and Young People’s Planning Partnership (CYPPP) highlighted their commitment to developing and implementing an integrated children’s service record for all children. This would encompass a single system for collecting and sharing information across all agencies.

The Scottish Executive proposals, as set out in Getting it Right for Every Child (GIRFEC), suggested a range of improvements in services for children and young people. In particular GIRFEC presented six key proposals:-

• Publishing information for children and families about the services and support available to them.
• Duty to be alert to the needs of children, to listen to them and to act to improve their situation.
• Duty on agencies to co-operate with each other in meeting the needs of children.
• Development of a single integrated assessment, planning and recording tool.
• Preparation of Action Plans when a child’s needs are complex or serious and need either compulsory measures or multi-agency input.
• The appointment of a Lead Professional when there is a need for co-ordinated action between agencies.

The Integrated Assessment Framework has been developed to enable practitioners to identify and work towards meeting the needs of children and young people defined as having additional needs.  It is a holistic assessment, looking at the range of a child’s needs.  The majority of children will have needs that can be met through the input of a single agency, working in conjunction with universal services.  However a significant minority will have multiple needs that require a planned and integrated package of support. 

Find out more about what's currently happening in your area by visiting the News section.

Discover the training that will be available to you (by locality) by visiting the Training Section.

View the guidance available to you in relation to multi-agency Information Sharing.

If you have any any queries please contact Annette Adair, IAF Co-ordinator on 01896 755110 or email aadair@scotborders.gsx.gov.uk