When a child needs a package of integrated support, experience shows that they and their family benefit from having one person who can help them through the system and ensure they get the right services at the right time.
The role of the lead professional is not new - it formalises good practice ensuring that children and families everywhere can benefit from this way of working.
The lead professional:
- Acts as a single point of contact giving children, young people and their families a trusted person to support them and communicate with them without jargon
- Co-ordinates services, ensuring effective actions are properly planned, delivered and reviewed
- Reduces overlap and inconsistency, promoting a better service experience and outcomes
Anyone can be a lead professional, but it should be the person best placed to work with a particular child or young person and their family and have the skills to carry out their role.
There may be some anxiety around time commitment to being a lead professional, but this can be managed by:
- Good management and supervision
- Understanding that less time will be spent on cases where someone else is lead professional
For further information visit the 'Every Child Matters' website - link opposite.