Introduction to TAC
Lambeth’s vision for services to children, young people and their families states:
"We will enable children and young people to feel valued, happy, healthy and safe and to achieve their full potential. We will achieve this by:
- developing integrated services that are seamless, efficient and improve outcomes for children and young people
- ensuring effective and efficient partnership working to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people
- increasing early identification of need and intervention thus preventing a need in the future
- seeking to engage children, young people and their families, particularly those from most vulnerable and seldom heard groups”.
The vision reflects the changing role of local authorities, and highlights the dependency on partnership working. The achievement of Children Trust arrangements is the key outcome that CYPSP will be tested against during Lambeth’s Joint Area Review and Corporate Assessment in 2008. It is proposed that to meet all statutory requirements in a way that will improve outcomes for Children, Young People and their families, the partnership take a two-pronged approach.
The first element of this approach is to establish Team around the Child (TAC) to support the needs of Children and Young People with additional needs. The majority of young people CYPSP supports are in universal settings, where their needs are well served. TAC is designed to ensure all Children achieve our vision by focusing on those with additional needs to address issues that may prevent them from achieving our vision.
Children and young people with complex needs, looked after children (LAC), children with disabilities, statemented pupils with SEN, children on the child protection register, are supported by specific ring fenced resources. There is, however, a paucity of resources currently allocated for those children and young people with additional needs who require preventative services to preclude them from requiring complex casework and specialist support.
For more information on Team Around Child (TAC) contact:
Nandita Sirker
TAC Area Manager - North Locality
020 7926 5710
Geraldine Abrahams
Interim TAC Area Manager
South West
020 7926 5724 or 020 3049 5016
Heather Swaby
TAC Area Manager
South East
020 7926 5723