Reasons for contacting us

You can contact us for information, advice or help. This could be for yourself, a family member, friend, neighbour or child. You can contact social services yourself or ask someone to contact us on your behalf. If you are calling on behalf of others, it is better to have their permission beforehand. If English is not your first language, we will try very hard to provide an interpreter.

What happens when I contact social services?

The social worker that you talk to will be able to explain whether you can receive services and what they might be.

Eligibility criteria for social services

After hearing about a child or family in difficulty, our social services staff will decide whether we are the best people to help, and whether we can provide the right assistance. To make sure we decide fairly, we have certain eligibility criteria guidelines. 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. The guidelines state that our priorities are:

• Level 1  -  Keeping children safe from harm

• Level 2  -  Making sure children grow up in permanent families and that they develop well

• Level 3  -  Helping children who need extra support

• Level 4  -  Providing immediate advice and information

Assessment

If you ask social services for help, we will need to know more about you and your family. This will involve collecting information, talking this through with you and agreeing what might be done. We call this an assessment. This helps us to see what support you and your family might need, and who could best give that help. Information will be written down by social workers and other professionals. Any information you give to us will be held in confidence.