Resources for practitioners

Children and young people with high and complex needs will have experienced a range of:

• multiple placement breakdowns
• stand-downs, suspensions and/or exclusions from school
• dislocation from their family and/or culture
• abuse, neglect, trauma
• multiple and/or unclear diagnoses.

Often agencies have been working with, or have known of these young people for some time. It is helpful if agencies have case markers of complexity that all supervisors and team leaders can use to identify children with high and complex needs; these children should be brought to the attention of and monitored by the Interagency Management Group.

If you think you might be working with a child or young person with high and complex needs, and are interested in applying for HCN funding, visit the application section for more information and talk to your manager and/or the HCN Advisor in your area.

The Interagency Management Group decides whether or not to apply for the HCN funding. To help the group with this decision, it is important to have up-to-date assessment information and are clear about:

• what the young person needs to make gains
• what has been tried
• what has worked
• what didn't work so well and why not.

If the Interagency Management Group agrees to an application for HCN funding being made, then a services coordinator will be contracted to coordinate each agency's input and facilitate the team processes. All you need to do is your own agency's work.

A key success factor for interagency plans is for the team to have a common understanding of the young person's needs, strengths, barriers to progress and priorities for change. The team planning resources help you contribute to this, especially the Practitioner's Booklet.

Successful outcomes are likely when:

• the young person's views are sought and expressed in the plan
• the right agencies are involved and the most appropriate expertise is available
• team members are clear about their roles and have a shared understanding of the young person's needs
• interventions address the key concerns
• goals are specific, measurable and achievable
• interventions draw from the young person's strengths and interests.

In addition to the knowledge of good practice that is available from your sector, here are some key websites that have clear information.

Contract Mapping - this site provides access to information about social services the government funds in your community.

Professor Sir Peter Gluckman's report - "Improving the Transition: Reducing Social and Psychological Morbidity During Adolescence".

Children in Care report - Dr Nicola Atwool's report into the quality of services provided to children in care.

Heart & Soul of Change Project - Dr Barry Duncan's website on practice-driven training and what works in therapy.