Integrated Family Support Teams

Arrangements for referral of cases to the integrated family support teams18

1

A partnership body may refer a family to an integrated family support team if it reasonably believes or suspects that—

a

a parent of a child in that family (or a prospective parent)—

i

is dependent on alcohol or drugs,

ii

is a victim of domestic violence or abuse,

iii

has a history of violent or abusive behaviour, or

iv

has a mental disorder; and

b

as a consequence of one or more of these circumstances, the child is or will be in need of care and support and either—

i

the child will be unable to remain with the family if family support services are not provided,

ii

where the child is looked after, the child will be unable to return to live with the family if family support services are not provided, or

iii

the child is or will be at risk of abuse, neglect or other harm if family support services are not provided.

2

A referral to an integrated family support team must be made in accordance with a referral procedure agreed by the regional partnership board.

3

For the purposes of this regulation, “family” (“teulu”) includes each of the following—

a

a child, the parents of the child and, if the authority thinks it is appropriate, any other individual connected with the child or the parents;

b

individuals who are about to become parents of a child and, if the local authority thinks it appropriate, any other individual connected with the individuals who are about to become the parents of that child.

4

A child with needs for care and support may include a looked after child.

5

In this regulation—

  • “abuse” (“cam-drin”) includes both sexual activity without consent and unreasonable behaviour liable to cause serious psychological harm; abuse is “domestic abuse” (“cam-drin domestig”) if it is from an individual who is associated with the victim; and “abusive” (“camdriniol”) is to be interpreted accordingly;

  • “child with needs for care and support” (“plentyn y mae arno anghenion am ofal a chymorth”) means a child who the local authority has determined has needs for care and support, following an assessment under section 21 of the Act;

  • “looked after child” (“plentyn sy’n derbyn gofal”) has the same meaning as in section 74 of the Act;

  • “mental disorder” (“anhwylder meddwl”) means any disorder or disability of the mind;

  • “parent” (“rhiant”), in relation to a child, includes any individual—

    1. a

      who is not a parent of the child but who has parental responsibility for the child, or

    2. b

      who has care of the child;

  • “violence” (“trais”) means violence or threats of violence which are likely to be carried out and “violent” (“treisgar”) is to be interpreted accordingly; violence is “domestic violence” (“trais domestig”) if it is from an individual who is associated with the victim.

6

For the purposes of the definition of “parent” (“rhiant”) in paragraph (4)—

a

“parental responsibility” (“cyfrifoldeb rhiant”) has the same meaning as in section 3 of the the Children Act 19897;

b

in determining whether an individual has care of a child, any absence of the child at a hospital, children’s home or foster placement and any other temporary absence is to be disregarded.