Partnerships

In response to the Every Child Matters Green Paper, Sheffield has been divided into seven areas called Service Districts.  Service Districts have a responsibility for helping to ensure that the five outcomes of Every Child Matters are achieved by all children and young people living in the area. Service Districts will bring together partners working in the local area including schools, early years settings, health and the voluntary/community/faith sector to work on collaborative projects which focus on locally agreed priorities.

The Children and Young People’s Directorate has organised front line children’s services into Multi Agency Support Teams (MAST). The teams will work in close partnership with universal and specialist services. MAST represents integrated children’s services aimed at Tier 1 and Tier 2 working to improve well-being, attendance, learning, behaviour, health and social care. They aim to reduce duplication and to improve service responsiveness to children and families through the co-ordination of support and the use of information sharing processes outlined in the Sheffield Integrated Practice Manual.

Specialist services will still be delivered on a city-wide basis such as services for children with Special Educational Needs and Safeguarding services.

The teams and the joined up work in every area will be lead by the Service District Manager, who will report to the 0-19 Partnership Board.  The Service District Partnership Board is made up of a multi-agency group with representatives from all key stakeholders, including Sheffield Youth Offending Service.  A local plan  - designed by the board, will include the key local priorities for the service district, and identify how collaborative inter-agency work will operate to tackle these priorities. The local plan will cover collaborative working only and will link closely to the citywide Children and Young People’s Plan.

For more information on Service Districts visit www.sheffield.gov.uk