Team Around the Child

Sometimes input from more than one agency/service is needed to fully assess, plan, co-ordinate interventions and address areas of concern.

Parents/carers, other family members, and other relevant adults are also part of the Team Around the Child (TAC). Everyone in the team will have specific and collective responsibilities to improve outcomes for the child or young person.

Before you hold a TAC meeting

• There should always be a discussion with the named person as the single point of contact.
• It is also expected that a child or young person will already have a single agency plan (child’s plan).
• Normally the named person will initiate a TAC meeting with the agreement of the child/young person, their parents/carers, and any other involved service.
• The child or young person, their parents and carers should be involved in TAC meetings but there may be barriers to them attending or they may not wish to attend. If you go ahead without their involvement you must record the reasons why.

When a TAC meeting is appropriate

A TAC meeting can be called when one or more of the following apply:

• a child or young person’s wellbeing assessment suggests that their needs are significant – see CWP flow chart
• it is not clear that a referral/RfA to a specific service will be sufficient to improve outcomes
• involving another service following a referral has not adequately addressed the needs presented
• co-ordinated assessment and planning between two or more services is needed

Main purposes of a TAC meeting

• Wellbeing needs, concerns, and potential risks to the child/young person.
• Views of the child/young person and their parents/carers are heard .
• Share and collate assessment information about the child’s/young person’s wellbeing.
• If there is a need for additional or intensive intervention(s) to address this need.
• If an IRD should be considered due to an escalation risk of harm.
• If a referral to SCRA is required.
• If a referral to a specific service(s) would be helpful.
• If a child’s plan is required to co-ordinate input from the involved services.
• If a multi-agency chronology would support ongoing assessment and planning.
• Who will be the lead professional if a child’s plan is agreed.
• Arrange a review meeting date if a child’s plan is agreed.

Referring to the Children's Reporter

Before making a referral to the Reporter, you must consider the referral criteria and believe that this is met. This should consider whether voluntary engagement would meet the child’s needs (lowest order principle) and, if not, whether a compulsory supervision order might be a proportionate response.

• If you decide to refer a child to the Reporter, the child’s allocated social worker will be responsible for submitting the referral to SCRA.
• If there is no allocated social worker, the TAC must allocate service responsibility for a referral.
• If the TAC decision is not to refer the child to the Reporter, but one agency still considers that a compulsory supervision order should be made, discuss this with your line manager and consider a single agency referral to the Reporter.

Always follow existing child protection policies if there are concerns that child may be at significant risk of harm.

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Useful links

• Fife Child Wellbeing Pathway Flowchart outlines the process of moving from single to multi-agency working
• Child’s plan guidance

• Named persons

• Assessment and chronologies

• Requesting assistance

• Lead professionals

• Child protection & Social Work

• A Child’s Plan