Pathways

Directed by government guidance and legislations WISMS began refocus on prioritising safeguarding to improve its overall practice. As the specialist safeguarding team we have been implementing necessary changes to enhance our safeguarding position of vulnerable children across the partnership. We created care pathways to assess families within our integrated substance misuse service.

It's increasingly becoming apparent that parental substance misuse can increase parental stress. In some cases this can decrease the ability of parents to provide appropriate care for their children. The key principle underpinning this document is that all children whose parents are receiving a service from our service will now be considered as vulnerable and potentially in need of preventative services/early intervention support.

This document aims to ensure that all staff within the Adult Substance Misuse Service work consistently when considering the impact of parental substance misuse on children. The approach outlined within the document will enable a focus on the needs of the client and their family as a unit rather than addressing the substance misuse in isolation. It will assist workers to identify clients whose children have additional needs and to ensure that support is in place to meet those additional needs. The document also provides a framework to enable staff to understand how and when to implement the Child Wellbeing model, or when a referral to Social Care Direct is required.

• Download: Wakefield Safeguarding Children Pathway