Storm Bert update
We have closed our HWRCs in Skipton and Leyburn due to storm impacts. Please consider if your journey is essential today.
What are the main areas of work?
- assessing children when they may be in need
- supporting families when they need help bringing up their children
- looking into situations where children may be suffering abuse or neglect and taking action that will protect them
- looking after children who cannot live with their families
- helping young people as they leave care and live independently
- supporting disabled children and their families
Assessing children’s needs
With every request for a service, we firstly undertake an ‘initial assessment’ of need. This involves a social worker collecting information, talking this through with everyone and agreeing what might be done. This assessment should be completed within seven days.
Protecting children
If we receive information that a child or young person is suffering harm, we are required by law to make sure the child is protected. We work closely with families and with colleagues in local agencies such as health and education.
If you are worried that a child is being harmed, please do report your concerns to us.
Helpful information about keeping safe for parents, young people and professionals working with children is available on the North Yorkshire Safeguarding Children Partnership website. This website also contains the procedures that staff in North Yorkshire follow.
Supporting families
There are six access and impact teams in North Yorkshire.
These social work teams are based in Harrogate (also covering Craven), Knaresborough, Northallerton (also covering Richmondshire), Selby and two teams in Scarborough. They will work either with families who have asked for help or where other people have expressed concern. Staff from these teams undertake the initial assessments.
Working alongside our family support staff, the teams are well placed to offer practical support to families where needed.
Examples of the type of family support that we can offer include:
- work with children using play and art to help them cope with, and make sense of, their life experiences
- groups for parents and carers to look at parenting skills, stress management or understanding their child’s behaviour
- individual practical and emotional support to parents to learn new strategies for caring for their children
All work is for an agreed period of time to help improve family situations.
Children’s centres
The Children and Young People’s Service has set up 37 children’s centres across North Yorkshire. For young children under school age and their families, the centres offer services such as child care, toy libraries and toddler groups.
Services in extended schools
Services are also being developed in all schools across the county to support children, young people and their families. Again, this may include providing quality child care, holiday activities, parenting sessions or specialist support so that young people can get help when they need it.
Community activities are also in development in many schools for example, sports or art facilities. Children’s social care work closely with all colleagues planning and running both children’s centres and extended schools to make sure that services work well together to benefit all children.
Family Intervention team
The family intervention team is available across North Yorkshire to support children, young people and families where there is an identified risk of children or young people coming into care. The team works with the whole family to address issues identified jointly between the worker and family members. The team works flexibly on a seven day a week basis, to support families and deliver interventions to achieve positive outcomes. The service can only be accessed through referral from a social worker.
Looking after children
We have a legal responsibility to look after children who cannot, for whatever reason, live with their immediate families. We aim to support children living with relatives, family friends or in foster families. We also have three small children’s homes in the county, looking after young people between the ages of 13 to 17 years. We have four social work teams for looked after children, based in Scarborough, Knaresborough, Selby and Northallerton, designed to work with agencies to get the best for those children living away from home.
Fostering North Yorkshire recruits, assesses and supports teams of foster carers who care for children of all ages. There are many ways in which people can foster.
Fostering ranges from being a permanent carer for a child or teenager, through to our short break schemes. Additionally, we have specialist and treatment fostering schemes for children and young people with complex needs.
If you are interested in becoming a foster carer, then please contact Fostering North Yorkshire on 0800 054 6989. We also have a legal responsibility to become involved where private fostering arrangements are being made.
This is when children and young people are cared for on a private basis by a person who is not their parent or a close relative, for more than 28 days.
Adoption
When children cannot be brought up by their own parents, we assist in helping them become permanent members of a new family.
Leaving care
Our countywide ‘pathways’ team offer support to young people aged 16 to 21 (or 25 if in education or training). They offer the full range of services required under the Leaving Care Act 2000, and its subsequent amendments, to young people as they leave care and move into adulthood.
Youth Justice
Our Youth Justice teams work with young people who have offended or are at risk of getting involved in offending behaviour.
Support for disabled children and their families
The three disabled children’s teams provide a range of services for children with complex health and learning needs. Care and support packages are agreed and include:
- information and advice from our specialist staff working closely with colleagues in the areas of health, education and voluntary service
- planning for the future
- short breaks in one of our three specialist residential centres or in family settings in partnership with Barnardo’s and National Children's Home
Tell us what you think about our services
Please call our complaints and commendations team on 0808 168 2785 if you wish to make any comments, compliments or complaints about our service. This number is free. You can also email cyps.contactus@northyorks.gov.uk.
If you wish to call in personally with your social care enquiry, general information and direct contact to customer services is available in the following locations:
Harrogate
Harrogate Library and Information Centre, Victoria Avenue, Harrogate. HG1 1EG Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday 9.30am to 7pm, Thursday and Saturday 9.30am to 5pm
Ripon
Ripon Library and Information Centre, The Arcade, Ripon. HG4 1AG Monday and Friday 9.30am to 8.00pm, Tuesday 9.30am to 1pm, Wednesday and Thursday 9.30am to 5.30pm, Saturday 9.30am to 5pm
Northallerton
Civic Centre, Stone Cross, Northallerton. DL6 2UU Monday to Thursday 8.45am to 5.15pm, Friday 8.45am to 4.45pm
Scarborough
Customer First Centre, Town Hall, St. Nicholas Street, Scarborough. YO11 2HG Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 8.30am to 5pm, Wednesday 9.30am to 5pm
Selby
Housing Reception, Civic Centre, Portholme Road, Selby. YO8 4SB Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, 8.30am to 5pm, Wednesday 10am to 5pm, Friday 8.30am to 4pm
Skipton
Belle Vue Square, Broughton Road, Skipton, BD23 1FJ, Monday to Thursday 8.30am to 5pm, Friday 8.30am to 4.30pm
Contact us
North Yorkshire Council,
County Hall,
Northallerton,
North Yorkshire,
DL7 8AD
You can find our contact details here.
If you would like this information in another language or format such as Braille, large print or audio, please contact us.