Children and Young People Team

The Children and Young People Team

The Children & Young People Team (CYPT) provides early intervention and preventative supports to those referred to the service in order to help maximise their potential.

The Children & Young People Team evolved from the new community schools initiative and an integrated approach to service delivery. The team consists of family support workers, youth strategy workers and Social Workers and is split into three Intervention Areas - The Attendance Improvement Management Service (AIMS), The Mental Health and Wellbeing Team and the Parenting Group Work Team. Each team has a complement of staff deployed to work within that area of intervention and the Service covers all areas of West Lothian. Staff teams are based in various locations and are managed by three team managers:-

AIMS Team - Christine McLure - christine.mclure@westlothian.gov.uk

MHMW Team - Lisa McCoubrie - lisa.mccoubrie@westlothian.gov.uk

Parenting Group work Team - Dale Marsters - dale.marsters@westlothian.gov.uk

What are our aims?

The team exists to provide early intervention and preventative supports to those referred to the service in order to help maximise their potential and promote positive relationships between children, young people, their parents and schools. We work with School Age Children within our main service areas but primarily we provide supports to those in the 5-16 age brackets and their families. 

In 2013 CYPT changed from a service based over three geographical areas to three intervention areas. The aim of the service remained the same but the support changed to a much more focussed approach that enabled us to streamline our resources to tackle some of the biggest issues facing families in West Lothian, namely Non-Attendance at School, Mental Health and Wellbeing supports and support for Parents. 

Each of these Intervention Areas is focussed on delivering better outcomes for Children, Young People and their Families living in West Lothian.  As part of this change, The Mental Health and Wellbeing Screening Group was also set up.  This group is a multi-agency group that brings together staff from CYPT, Education, Health, CAMHS, DASAT, Barnardo's, Educational Psychology, Health Improvement Team, Through Care After Care, WLDAS, COZ, Young Carers and Youth Action Project.   The group meet on a fortnightly basis to discuss the referrals that have been received enabling a much more robust process and a service offered that is the most appropriate to meet the needs of the service user.

2013 also saw the move of the Children's Counselling Service to come under the umbrella of the Children and Young People Team. All referrals for Counselling are discussed and allocated through the Mental Health Mental Wellbeing Screening Group.  The Counselling Service offers support to individuals up to the age of 18, and the age of 25 for young people who are care experienced.

The following information gives a brief description of each of the intervention areas

How do we work?

Individual/Family Support:

• Support offered to children/young people and their families which helps them to identify problems and find solutions/strategies in order to promote the positive educational, health, social and emotional development of the child/young person. This support is offered both in and out of school settings.

Group Work:

• Group work programmes for children/young people offer opportunities to discuss common issues or experiences in a safe and supportive setting and find ways of dealing with them.

Areas covered can include:

• improving self confidence and self esteem
• peer support
• emotional regulation
• decision making skills
• therapeutic interventions
• relationships
• attendance

We also provide group work opportunities for parents and they can cover issues such as:

• understanding children's needs
• relationships
• behaviour management
• peer support
• assertiveness

The AIMS Team

The AIMS (Attendance Improvement Management Service) team within CYPT will raise the profile and priority of attendance issues with a focus on early intervention, individual and group work approaches. We will work in partnership with our schools and families to support West Lothian Council's Attendance Policy. The objective of the team is to improve attendance levels and raise attainment and life chances for the young people in West Lothian. The outcome is to reduce the amount of cases that are referred to the Children's Reporter. We will offer targeted and specific individual and group work programmes for children and their parents/carers.

The Mental Health and Wellbeing Team

Individual/Family Support & Group Work Support

Support offered to children/young people and their families which helps them to identify problems and find solutions/strategies in order to promote the positive educational, health, social and emotional development of the child/young person. This support is offered both in and out of school settings. Group work programmes for children/young people offer opportunities to discuss common issues or experiences in a safe and supportive setting and find ways of dealing with them.

Areas covered can include:

• Mental Health
• Self Harm
• Improving confidence and self esteem
• Emotional regulation
• Peer support & relationships
• Decision making skills
• Therapeutic interventions
• Bereavement, loss and change

The Parenting Group Work Team

The Parenting Group work Team offer evidenced based Group work programmes in West Lothian. The groups run throughout the year and are a combination of both day-time and evening groups. Each of the groups has set criteria and parents are matched to the group most appropriate for their needs.  On occasion individual time limited support can be provided to a family.  This can involve supporting a parent to prepare to be able to access a group as well as ongoing individual support during the life of the group and if necessary final supports after the Group Work Programme has been completed.

• Mellow Parenting including Mellow Mums & Mellow Dads
• Incredible Years
• Triple P
• Stepping Stones Triple P
• Parenting Teens
• Cedar

Our Service Standards

In addition to adhering to the Children and Families Service Standards, we will;

• work in partnership with other agencies to support children and young people to maximise their potential
• respond to referrals within 7 days of receipt
• once allocated, ensure contact within 10 working days
• arrange to meet at venues and times which are mutually agreed in order to agree tasks and formulate an action plan
• confirm details of action plan in writing to families and referrers
• review plans at no more than 3-monthly intervals
• maintain clear communication with all partners
• provide relevant groups work programmes in consultation with partners

Who can refer to the service?

We take referrals from a range of agencies including social work, education and psychological services. Parents and young people looking to access support can self-refer and can be supported to do so by a member of staff.

For further information please contact the Children & Young People Team main office.

Children and Young People Team
Strathbrock Partnership Centre
189A West Main Street
Broxburn
EH52 5LH

Tel. 01506 284440 (Option 4)

How to refer to the service?

Please complete the Inclusion & Support Services Referral Form