Co-production in Safeguarding Children

Why we ask about your children

Monica King and Jules Tennick

TogethernessResponsibilityExcellenceCaring

2. Co-production is...Power sharing in solving difficult and complex problems at the front line of services

• Professionals and citizens share power to plan and deliver support services together…

recognizing both have a vital contribution

National Mind 20/11/13

Different from User Involvement

• ‘….is about developing more equal partnerships between people who use services, carers and professionals’

SCIE October 2013

3. The Beginning…

• Coming to a Mental Health Trust…identified the need

Transparency and openness with parents

Reduce parent anxiety ‘suspicion’… ‘fear’… ‘terror’

Want to work with you, not against you

Identify young carers

Supporting early engagement

and preventative work

4. Working up the leaflet- coproductionListening to the views and words of service users.

NO to:

‘assessment’…’assess’…’risk’…’imminent risk’…’immediate risk’…medical language… jargon. How and when ‘Social Services’ came in

was critical …Needed to use Plain English but be completely honest.

Early drafts needed to be very clear that

referrals have to be made to Children’s Social

Care in crisis or very unsafe situations without

the parent’s agreement or permission.

Extensive discussions – how to word?

5. Lived Experience

Jules’s storysevere episode of depression.

received very little support with parenting

13 year old daughter cared for her

need to protect daughter ‘suffering from a bad case of flu’

later…long term psychiatrist. ‘taking an interest’ … Friendly, caring, not ‘doing an assessment

Children services a huge support >

for Jules and her daughter

BJ’S Story both parents under mental health services when BJ a child.

did not feel supported

never identified as a young carer or a child in need

felt drawn into mother’s psychotic beliefs

believes this experience has lead him to experience his own mental health problem’s in his adult life

6. The Future

• Informal evaluation…positive

• Official launch …

• Other languages

• Support nurses, psychiatrists and mental health practitioners to talk

to patients/service users about their children >

How to ask the questionTake an interestBe genuine and kindOpen and transparent

Safeguard children through effective enquiry and engagement at the outset of service users contact with mental health services

• Work with the Recovery College. Input into parenting groups

‘think family’

7. Supporting early engagement and preventative work to safeguard children

1. Take an Interest

2. Be genuine and kind

3. Open and transparent

4. Recovery Focused

Thank you for listening

Questions…