Integrated area teams
Medway has developed three integrated area teams. The teams
consist of social workers and education support professionals.
The childcare team has two elements, one dealing with initial
referrals and the other undertaking long term work from child
protection through to adoption. The fast team includes social care
and educational professionals. The teams are co-located and work to
support children in a holistic way by assessing need and allocating
appropriate support.
All child in need and child protection referrals are processed
through the customer first team as the sole referral point. They
are then channeled to the integrated area team on a geographic
basis.
If the referral does not meet the criteria for one of the
services in the integrated area team then it is signposted out
using a directory of services available to voluntary agencies, or
to other professional groups e.g.health.