Vulnerable families with 0 to 2 year olds JSNA (2024)

Positive early experiences of life, through pregnancy, birth and the first 12 months of life and subsequent 1001 days are vital in laying the foundations for a child’s future health, well-being and lifelong outcomes. The Marmot Review (2012)5, recognises the importance of giving every child the optimum conditions and how investing in this period of a child’s life influences their school readiness, educational attainment, economic participation and long-term health.

A key local issue for children aged 0-2 year is the high and growing number of children living with trauma due to exposure to domestic abuse and a need for acute services.

Neglect in the earliest stage of life is another key issue, demonstrated by the increasing number of new-borns and children under the age of one year entering the care system. Neglect is usually defined as the failure of a parent, guardian, or other caregiver to provide for a child’s basic needs, which impacts on the child’s development. 

Vulnerable children are identified by public sector agencies through a number of means, including:

• Supporting Families Programme: The Council receives funding from the government to deliver the Supporting Families Programme.  The focus of the programme is to support families affected by multiple disadvantages including but not limited to, unemployment, crime, violence, risk of homelessness, poor health, and educational issues. This aims to avoid escalation to safeguarding concerns.
• Children with a Team Around the Family (TAF): Team Around the Family is a form of early support and prevention.  These children and families have needs identified and are being supported by a group of multi-agency professionals following a TAF Assessment and planning process.
• Children in Need: Children in need are a legally defined group of children assessed as needing support as a result of risk to their development or health. This is all children with an open referral to Children’s Social Care, including those with a disability, and those subject to a Child in Need Plan, Child Protection Plan, or are a Looked After Child. 

Our localised data suggests that across Cheshire west and Chester we have: 

• Reducing referrals and open plans (TAF, Child in Need and Children in Care) for vulnerable children aged 0-2 years across the authority, despite increases in other age bands.
• There has been an increase in the number of children on a child protection plans for this group. With a higher change in the child protection rate compared to the wider 0-17 population. The latest year has witnessed the most significant amount of change for children requiring a Section 47.
• Information from referrals and contacts shows that domestic abuse, child physical abuse, neglect and health issues (mainly mental health and substance abuse) are the most prevalent factors.