Many children and families need advice, support and assistance when dealing with difficulties at some time in their lives. This following information explains more about who can use our services, and how this decision is made.
What we do
After hearing about a child or family in difficulty, our social services staff have to decide whether we are the best people to help, and whether we are able to provide the right assistance.
How we decide who to help
To make sure we decide fairly, we agree and publish ‘eligibility criteria’. These are guidelines which should help you to understand whether or not you qualify or are ‘eligible’ for our support.
We can provide services if your needs are assessed at level 1, 2, and 3 of the criteria. Level 4 services are open and free to all to use.
Priority guidelines
The guidelines state that our priorities are:
If we believe that a child is at risk of abuse, we have a duty to take action to protect that child.
For most children this will mean providing extra support at home. On rare occasions, a child may need moving to a safe place. This is usually temporary, but sometimes means finding a permanent new family for a child.
If a child is not developing well, because, for example, her/his family is in serious difficulty or the child is disabled, we have a duty to help. For most children this will mean providing extra help at home. Social workers can, for example, help with parenting skills or family relationships, or arrange periods of care outside the home. Occupational therapists can assist with equipment for a disabled child.
Other examples include placing babies for adoption if a mother asks for this, or providing advice for courts on the long term welfare of children.
If a family or child need additional help but there is not a risk of serious family disruption, we may still be able to assist. This will usually be for a short period of time, and focus on a specific task. For example, parents might need advice about dealing with adolescence, or managing disability. A child might need help because of problems at school or mental health worries.
Many children and families at some time in their lives need some straightforward advice about where to seek help and what to do next. We aim to provide advice to anyone who asks for it within 24 hours. Our duty social workers can be visited or telephoned during working hours.
Contact us
For more information contact a duty social worker for children and families:
Contact information for our Children and Families service
|
Contact |
Information |
| Address: |
Wokingham Borough Council
Children and Families Services
Lytham Court
Lytham Road
Woodley
Bershire
RG5 3PQ
|
| Telephone: |
0118 944 5300 |
The information on this page is also available as a leaflet - see below for a downloadable version of the document. Printed copies are available from social services offices.
If you would like the leaflet to be translated into a different language, please call 01753 701 159.
