Useful Resources & Guidance

Flourish
Click here to visit the Children and Young People’s Strategic Alliance Flourish pages to view the Flourish outcomes framework and strategy.

Statutory Guidance

Useful documents

Early Years
Click here to view the Early Years safeguarding flowcharts.

Early Help
Click here to visit the our Early Help page for more information.

Further information can be found at the Norfolk Early Help website.

Young Carers
What is a young carer?

  • A young carer is a person under 18 who provides practical and/or emotional support for another person, usually a family member because of a health condition. They may be providing care for a parent, grandparent or guardian, or helping their parents care for another child in the family.
  • The person they care for may have a disability, a long-term or temporary physical or mental illness, or have issues with substance misuse.
  • There are over 5000 Young Carers in Norfolk but many are ‘hidden’ because they do not realise they are a young carer. This may be because they consider it simply is ‘how life is’, or because of fears of stigma/other people becoming involved in their situation.
  • Being a young carer can have a significant impact on their physical and mental health, educational attainment and their transition into adulthood.

What support is available for young carers?

Norfolk County Council have commissioned a specialist support service for young carers and their families across Norfolk, looking after the needs of the young carer themselves, as well as the whole family. The Young Carers & Family Service is a partnership of voluntary sector organisations, young carer groups and youth work providers. The partners are:

The Benjamin Foundation
Caring Together
GYGYC
Holt Youth Project
MTM Youth Services
Suffolk Family Carers
Voluntary Norfolk
West Norfolk Carers

Young carers or any member of their family can ask for support directly, or a professional such as a teacher, youth worker or GP, can make a referral on their behalf. Call the Carers Matter Norfolk Advice Line if you are seeking or would like to discuss support for yourself or for someone else. It is FREE to call and advisors are available 7 days a week. 0800 083 1148 You can also make an online referral at www.youngcarersmatternorfolk.org

You will find more details about the Young Carers service, the partners and other young carers groups and support available, including information about Young Carers Needs Assessments and Young Adult Carer Transition Assessments in this Sources of Young Carers Support in Norfolk which has been prepared by Caring Together and their Norfolk Young Carers Forum project.

Mental Health Issues
There is a new national initiative called Shelf Help available in all of Norfolk’s public libraries to support young people 13-18 and their friends and families if they are dealing with mental health issues and to raise awareness of common issues, including advice and information about issues like anxiety, stress and OCD, and difficult experiences like bullying, body image and exams. Click here for more information.

Suicide Prevention
7-Minute-Briefing on Suicide Prevention

Preventing Extremism and Radicalisation
Below is guidance that will assist you in deciding whether a Prevent referral is appropriate and to help you make that referral if you deem that it is. The quick reference guide gives an overview whilst the Prevent Referral and Channel Guidance document provides more in depth explanation. The referral form itself provides notes to assist with completing it.

PREVENT training for NCC employees can be found on the Learning Hub.

Click here for further information, relevant local and national documentation and Prevent resources.

Domestic Abuse and Violence

Drug and Alcohol Issues
The Matthew Project: Unity have produced the following leaflets to help raise awareness of the support they offer to young people and their families on tackling drug and alcohol issues.

For more information on drugs you can also visit the Talk to Frank website.

Female Genital Mutilation (FGM)

Private Fostering

Private Fostering is an arrangement whereby a child under the age of 16 (or 18 if the child has a disability) S.66 Children Act 1989 moves to live with someone for 28 days or more – who does not hold Parental Responsibility or is not a parent or a close relative. The Children Act 1989 gives Children’s Services professionals a legal duty to safeguard the wellbeing of Privately Fostered children.

If you are a Professional working within a Children’s Services Locality Team, with a child who is already allocated (active case) please refer directly to the Fostering and Recruitment Team by completing a Private Fostering Notification on LCS.

Otherwise, contact: Norfolk CADS Children’s Advice and Duty Service (Monday to Friday 8:00am to 8:00pm) 0344 800 8021.