Quality statement 2: Collaborative working between services and professionals | Looked-after children and young people | Quality standards

Quality statement

Looked-after children and young people receive care from services and professionals that work collaboratively.

Rationale

Collaborative working between professionals and services, including carers, promotes high-quality and consistent care and a stable experience of placements for looked-after children and young people.

Quality measures

The following measures can be used to assess the quality of care or service provision specified in the statement. They are examples of how the statement can be measured, and can be adapted and used flexibly.

Structure

a) Evidence of local arrangements for the team working with the child or young person to work collaboratively to manage the multidisciplinary care plan, with the named lead social worker taking a lead professional role.

Data source: No routinely collected national data for this measure has been identified. Data can be collected from information recorded locally by health and social care professionals and provider organisations, for example from patient records.

b) Evidence of effective local information-sharing protocols between health, social care and educational services.

Data source: No routinely collected national data for this measure has been identified. Data can be collected from information recorded locally by health and social care professionals and provider organisations, for example from service level agreements.

c) Evidence of local arrangements to include the carer as part of the team working with the child or young person.

Data source: No routinely collected national data for this measure has been identified. Data can be collected from information recorded locally by health and social care professionals and provider organisations, for example from patient records.

Outcome

a) Feedback from looked-after children and young people that they do not have to re-tell their life and medical history when using services.

Data source: No routinely collected national data for this measure has been identified. Data can be collected from information recorded locally by health and social care professionals and provider organisations, for example from patient records and surveys.

b) Feedback from looked-after children and young people that they feel information about them is shared appropriately between people working with them, and caring for them.

Data source: No routinely collected national data for this measure has been identified. Data can be collected from information recorded locally by health and social care professionals and provider organisations, for example from patient records and surveys.

c) Feedback from carers that they feel involved as part of the team working with the child or young person.

Data source: No routinely collected national data for this measure has been identified. Data can be collected from information recorded locally by health and social care professionals and provider organisations, for example from carer surveys.

d) Feedback from the team working with the child or young person that they have all of the information they need to work effectively.

Data source: No routinely collected national data for this measure has been identified. Data can be collected from information recorded locally by health and social care professionals and provider organisations.

What the quality statement means for different audiences

Service providers (organisations providing care) ensure that systems are in place for the team working with the child or young person to work collaboratively to meet the needs of the child or young person, and that information is shared effectively and appropriately.

Health and social care practitioners and education staff work collaboratively as part of the team working with the child or young person, sharing information effectively and appropriately.

Commissioners (for example, local authorities) ensure that they commission services that work collaboratively to meet the needs of the child, sharing information effectively and appropriately.

Carers of looked-after children and young people are part of the team working with the child or young person that works collaboratively, sharing information effectively and appropriately.

Looked-after children and young people are supported by a team, including their carer, who work together to meet their needs, sharing relevant information effectively and appropriately.

Source guidance

Looked-after children and young people. NICE guideline NG205 (2021), recommendations 1.3.1, 1.4.1, 1.5.8, 1.6.13, 1.6.15 and 1.7.15

Definitions of terms used in this quality statement

Carers

Carers include foster carers (including family and friends carers), residential carers and supported lodging providers. [Adapted from NICE's guideline on looked-after children and young people, and expert opinion]

Team working with the child or young person

The team working with the child or young person is a collaborative team of key professionals and frontline staff (staff working directly with or caring for looked-after children and young people, including but not limited to, carers, social workers, designated healthcare professionals and special educational needs coordinators) working to support a child or young person. [Adapted from NICE's guideline on looked-after children and young people]