Q. What is the Children’s Fund Oldham?
The Children’s Fund Oldham is a programme to develop preventative services and new ways of working to meet the needs of children and young people, aged 5 – 13 years within Oldham. The Children’s Fund will work in partnership with voluntary organisations, statutory services, children, young people, and their communities to overcome disadvantage and reach their full potential.
The Children’s Fund aims to:
Be child centred, understand and provide for the needs of disadvantaged children.
Improve the health of children.
Improve the educational attainment, personal development and attendance of children in schools.
Reduce crime and offending behaviour.
Reduce racial tension in Oldham by promoting and celebrating difference and diversity.
Listen to the needs of local children and families.
Involve children and families in designing and delivering services that are flexible and meet need.
Q. What can the Children’s Fund Oldham do for you and your community?
The Children’s Fund principles are:
To promote collaborative practice between agencies, working for the maximum benefit for children, young people and families.
To trial innovative and different ways of working
To assess the impact of all our work with children, young people and families
Q. What should I do if I think a child or young person has been harmed or abused?
You should contact the Social Services Duty and Initial Assessment Team (DIAT), Royton Town Hall, Rochdale Road, Royton on 0161 770 3790 between 8.40 am-5.00 pm weekdays, or the Emergency Duty Team (EDT) out of hours and weekends, on 0161 628 5933.
Q. How can I find out about Social Services help and support for children and young people in Oldham?
By contacting the Duty and Initial Assessment Team (DIAT) who are based at Royton Town Hall, Rochdale Road, Royton, Oldham, weekdays 8.40 am to 5.00 pm. Telephone 0161 770 3790.
If your child has a disability you may wish to contact our Children with Disabilities Team at Woodfield, Manchester Road, Oldham on 0161 627 1749.
Q. How do I find out about day care services for children and young people in Oldham?
By contacting The Children’s Information Service on 0161 628 0808 or, for face-to-face service, at Level 6, Civic Centre, West Street, Oldham.
Q. I have no money left and no food for my children. What do I do?
The Department of Social Security (DSS) would assess your circumstances for emergency income support – telephone 0161 912 8000.
In exceptional circumstances, the Social Services Department could assist (0161- 770-3790) with the provision of food, if help has not been available from the DSS. Social Services would liaise with the DSS in the first instance.
Q. What are the funding opportunities with the Children’s Fund Oldham?
The Locality Implementation Fund:
The Locality Implementation Fund is available for local children, young people and families / carers to develop local projects and support existing groups with small projects in their locality. Applications should address the objectives and guiding principles of the Children’s Fund.
We are working towards the establishment of the Local Implementation Groups (LIG’s) in the following wards: Alexandra, Coldhurst, Hollinwood, Lees, St James, St Mary’s, St Paul’s and Werneth. The LIG’s will decide how the money is spent in their area.
Grants of up to £2,000 for local activity are presented to the LIG for a decision.
The Interventions Development Fund:
This fund is to support the development of preventative services that meet the changing needs of children, young people and their families / carers.
This fund will support multi-disciplinary working and encourage providers and customers to work together to improve and develop the range of support and services available to children, young people and families.
Small and substantial grants will be available for developing projects. Intervention Development Fund applications will be considered by the Partnership Funding sub-group (up to £40,000) and the full Partnership for grants exceeding this amount (£40,000+).
Q. How can I find out more about the Children’s Fund Oldham?
Have you got ideas about the things that you want to see happen? Please contact Children’s Fund Oldham to arrange a meeting or request an information funding pack. Together we make a difference.
Children’s Fund Oldham
1st Floor Norwich Union House
64 Union Street
Oldham
OL1 1DJ
Tel: 0161 652 4432
Fax: 0161 652 4430
E-mail: ppr.childrens.fund@oldham.gov.uk
Q. How can I get involved in the Children’s Fund Oldham?
We want to encourage children, young people and their families to get involved and make a difference together.
You can get involved through the Play and Participation Partnership or your local Implementation Group.
We are working towards establishing eight Locality Implementation Groups made up from community members and individuals from services and organisations working in those areas. These groups will influence and direct Children’s Fund activities in their areas.
The LIG’s wards include: Alexandra, Coldhurst, Hollinwood, Lees, St James, St Mary’s, St Paul’s, Werneth.
Contact Peter Hill or Vic Jones for more information.Tel: 0161 652 4432 or -mail: ppr.childrens.fund@oldham.gov.uk
Q. What do Children’s Services do?
The Social Services Children’s Service provides a range of services to ‘children in need’. Children in need include (but is not exclusive) children who are disabled, children looked after (in the care of the Local Authority) and children on the Child Protection Register.
The term ‘Children in Need’ is a legal one, as defined by Part III of the Children Act 1989. These children will not achieve a reasonable standard of health and development unless they receive services under Part III of the Act. Services are provided following an assessment of need in all cases.Following Social Work Assessment the range of services provided may include:
FAMILY SUPPORT
For example, supporting parenting through centre-based community activities such as play groups, parent support groups, which are provided in partnership with Early Years Services, Health and other agencies.
INDIVIDUAL SUPPORT PACKAGES through Family Support Workers with practical help, advice and support in areas such as pre-birth work, play and development programmes.
GROUP WORK for children and parents.
SPONSORED PROVISION for a limited number of sponsorships, for certain of child care provisions.
PROTECTING CHILDREN
Child Protection Registers are held by each Social Services Department. They list all of the children in the locality who are considered to be suffering from or likely to suffer significant harm, and for whom there is a Child Protection Plan.
The Social Services have the lead for Child Protection and all children on the Child Protection Register are regularly reviewed.
CHILDREN WHO ARE LOOKED AFTER
A child is ‘looked after’ if he/she is placed in the care of the Local Authority by a Court (under a Care Order) or provided with accommodation by the Authority’s Social Services Department for more than 24 hours.
Local Authority accommodation includes residential homes, foster care placements, preparation for independence units, and placement with parents under a court order. For children who enter the public care system the Local Authority becomes their ‘corporate parent’.