9.12 Definitions of Contact ICS

This chapter was added in September 2010.

The following list should be read in conjunction with Contact, Referral and Information Procedure.

It lists the cases that would be recorded by the duty ICW as contacts or referrals under ICS.

Contact	Referral
16-18 potentially homelessness not meeting Diversion criteria and not previously known to Children’s Services. Outcome – Directed to Connexions.	Young person meeting the criteria for a service from Diversion or the Targeted Youth Support team or requires referral to HPU for assessment under Homeless Persons Act 2002. Common Assessment (CAF) may be required.
Enquires about debt or difficulties with benefits/General advice about benefit entitlement. Outcome – Contact with/ Direct person to Benefits Agency.	Request for financial assistance – if Section 17 payment is made.
Caller with eviction worries/enquires about court hearing regarding eviction/rent arrears i.e. legal assistance. Caller responding to standard letters from Housing Rental Section and others asking for assistance regarding possible eviction. Outcome - Could be dealt with by solicitors, housing advice, CAB. Work done by ICW to resolve housing Benefit issue which caused rent arrears or the threat of eviction.	Written request from Housing under Homelessness Act for involvement with family facing eviction. Known as Eviction Notices Section 213 (a) of the Housing Act 1996 amended by Homeless Persons Act 2002 where Assessment is to be undertaken by a social worker.
Callers requesting advice about a general family problem. Outcome – Direction to a universal service.	Callers to reception /or duty where the threshold is met and the family need a social work assessment as decided by duty manager
Callers wanting information on Integrated Children’s Centres or day care for their child. Request by an ICW for involvement of another agency with the family. Common Assessment completed for referral with parents/carers agreement.	Common Assessment or inter agency referral received where child care concerns are noted and are deemed by the duty manager to warrant an assessment by a social worker.
Families from European Union Countries requiring assistance but have not met the habitual residency test criteria. Outcome - refer to Embassy.	Any Family in Wandsworth where there are safeguarding issues or meet the criteria for intervention including those with no recourse to public funds and those from the European Union. Duty manager decides assessment required.
No recourse to public funds due to immigration status. Outcome - If general advice required or referral to Embassy.	Immigration status results in the family having no resource to public funds. Request by solicitors for assessment or safeguarding issues evident. Outcome – Referral to NRPF social worker cases.
Step parent adoptions general enquiry.	Assessments required for step-parent/inter-country adoptions are dealt with by Adoption & fostering. Referrals to RAS are opened where the child is considered to be privately fostered and passed to the Private Fostering PSW.
People wanting information about what to do with disputes over access to their children – Cases not known. Outcome referral to solicitors, CAB etc	Disputes over access where cases have or are known or safeguarding issues reported. Duty manager decides on assessment required.
Parents seeking advice on general issues regarding teenagers – staying out late etc. Meet criteria for targeted service like the Targeted Youth Support Team (TYST). CAF referral may be required.	Any CIN issues, regardless of age, which are felt to be a concern and meet the criteria for children’s specialist services and allocation. Duty manager decides on assessment required.
All relatives and members of a household expressing low levels of concern that could be met by the intervention of the Integrated Children’s Centres or Targeted Youth Support teams.	Relatives/members of household expressing concerns that highlight safeguarding issues or meet the criteria for intervention. Duty manager decides on assessment required.

General Advice on educational difficulties/issues or those that are passed to Education Welfare for follow up.	Educational Issues that raise significant child/young person welfare concerns warranting an assessment by Children's Specialist Services (CSS).
Family receiving income support requiring a play scheme. Outcome – Directed to Play Services.	Families where significant child care concerns have been reported & where referrers are requesting additional support from CSS as part of an overall CIN service provision.
First minor domestic violence incident where the family previously not known, requiring police attendance and police report received. Please the Domestic Violence procedures.	Domestic violence incidents where children under 12months reside in the family. Incidents where children have been witnesses to domestic violence or injured as a result. Please check the London Child Protection Procedures regarding Domestic Violence.
OFSTED Checks where family is known.	Ofsted Checks where family is known.
Person wishes to report a child thought to be privately fostered.	Private fostering notification, passed to the Private Fostering PSW.
All cases receiving their third Police Merlin Report where the duty manager has decided the family do not require an assessment due to the nature of the report.	Third Police where duty manager decides an assessment is required due to safeguarding issues.
Professional accompanying family or young person seeking advice about universal services.	Professional accompanying a family or young person to the interview requesting assistance. In the course of this interview disclosure is made regarding safeguarding issues involving the young person or members of their family.
Request for information after receiving a ‘Special Educational Needs Assessment’ form WS5 where family are known or previously known.	The Special Needs Section request an assessment based on the information they have received. Duty Manager either allocates for assessment or passes the case on to the Children With Disabilities Team
Young Person referred here by the police or other agencies as a young runaway. Arrangements made for an independent interview for the young person by EWS, Youth Support team etc.	If the history on Framework or checks with other agencies indicate there are substance misuse issues, domestic violence etc in the family and the young person is a continual runaway, duty manager to open for assessment. Please see procedures.
Young person presents as a Young Carer and is seeking help. Referral to appropriate agencies and Young Carers group. Common Assessment completed with the young carer by ICW	After interview, there are significant concerns about the welfare of the young carer and risk of relationship breakdown with the parent
Child/Young person/parents present with needs outlined in level 3 Need criteria that are resolved by referring on to another agency. Please see guidance (CAF Thresholds) ALDCS document. Common assessment completed by ICW.	Decision by duty manager that the child/ young person/family require an assessment of need under Section 17.

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