Team Around The Family (TAF)

The Team Around the Family (TAF) is a process to facilitate multi agency case working at a locality level. It is co-ordinated by the Safeguarding and Family Support Service through a regular (minimum fortnightly) multi agency meeting, and are based in the Hubs.

The overall aim is to ensure effective early help is provided to families and to reduce the need for specialist or crisis intervention services. To promote consistency and quality of assessment there is a requirement that an FCAF / Early Support Assessment is in place before presentation at a TAF meeting. If there is an issue over consent, an anonymised case can be presented for advice and guidance.

The TAF enables key partner agencies to hold professional discussions in relation to children and families whose presenting needs are escalating beyond the universal level and where there is uncertainly on how to proceed or there are blocks to integrated working.

It is envisaged with such cases that the panel members will look to providing support and guidance to the Practitioner. The advice will include taking an assertive engagement approach , and ensuring that partners have undertaken all avenues of support to meet the needs of the family, but if this have not been successful escalations towards sanctions have been considered . This involves escalation to the Safer Communities group for consideration of these sanctions. The Panel will also include the opportunity where necessary for professional discussions relating to the transition of cases, i.e. where the presenting needs have de-escalated from the specialist level and support can now be provided at a targeted or universal level.

TAFS in North Birmingham are:

Featherstone: Erdington & Sutton 
Duty No: 0121 303 1415

Erdington TAF:
Children’s Services
67 Sutton New Road
Erdington
B23 6QT

Meetings: Every Thursday 10AM- 12PM

Sutton TAF:
New hall Children’s Centre
Langley Hall Drive
Sutton Coldfield
B75 7NQ

Meetings: Fortnightly on a Tuesday 1PM-3PM

Circle: Kingstanding & Perry Barr
Duty No: 0121 303 6797

The Circle Children’s Centre
750 Kingstanding Road
Kingstanding
B44 9SS

Meetings: Every Wednesday 10AM- 12PM

If you are looking to attend please download the Team Around the Family Crib Sheet in advance.

Download a powerpoint about the TAF meetings here: TAF presentation October 2015 v2