· Community Engagement Officer and South Yorkshire Police Representatives to present.
Minutes:
Councillor M. Hussain, Cabinet Member for Communities and Cohesion, introduced DS Nigel Taaffe, South Yorkshire Police, and Carol Adamson, Community Engagement Officer (Community Engagement, Housing and Neighbourhood, Neighbourhood and Adult Services Directorate). Nigel and Carol had prepared an update on the previous six-months’ running of the Vulnerable Persons’ Unit (VPU).
The VPU was a joint unit ran by the Council and South Yorkshire Police and was shortly due to co-locate in to Riverside House, where all partners would share a base.
Rotherham’s VPU was set-up to help vulnerable people, who were often below social care thresholds but, as a cohort, were placing a high demand on the emergency services, in particular the police. The VPU co-ordinated the case management and information sharing processes for cases involving vulnerable people, to improve outcomes and use of resources. The VPU also had an overview of hate crime, tensions and community tension management.
The VPU used the Vulnerable Adult Risk Management (VARM) framework to assess referrals of medium and high risk individuals. The VPU ensued that there was effective information sharing, risks were monitored and reduced and the demand on all agencies was reduced. The use of the VARM ensured that there was an effective audit trails of decision-making and accountability.
There had been 20 VARMs undertaken on 9 individuals. The VPU intended that they be on-going, regular meetings, and more were planned. However, the VPU did not have any administrative support. Administrative tasks were a key part of the success of the VARM framework.
Case studies relating to the use of VARMs following reports to the VPU were shared. These demonstrated the effectiveness of the VPU in tracking that individual’s contact to the Police, and the direct reduction in policing hours. The timeline of the case studies showed that, over time, the call on policing resources was reduced.
The information sharing protocols that existed between the Partner Agencies ensured that all were aware of the referral to the VPU and the interventions already in place. Case notes would inform workers how to approach the individual in-line with the multi-agency interventions.
The VPU had taken on 24 additional cases on behalf of voluntary organisations relating to individuals requiring mental health support. Feedback from Partners was positive in that the cases were moving forward.
Further information was provided relating to: -
· Anti-Social Behaviour Orders;
· Creation on ‘Key Individual Networks’ (KINs);
· 16 voluntary and community organisations had signed-up as reporting centres so that individuals could report incidents in locations where they felt comfortable;
· Following a RotherFM campaign over the summer months, an increase in reports of disability crimes was seen.
Future tasking for the VPU: -
· The move to Riverside House;
· Participation in the Joint Area Groups;
· New anti-social behaviour legislation was expected in April, 2014;
· Project Shanaz in the longer term.
Discussion ensued on the information provided: -
· How did the VPU work with individuals when there were multiple and complex issues?;
· Were the ways that the VPU was communicating with individuals the most appropriate in terms of literacy levels, access to technology and language skills?;
· ‘Demand management’ for the VPU’s services whilst it had limited resources.
Resolved: - (1) That the presentation be received and the information shared be noted.
(2) That information be developed for Elected Members in relation to the Vulnerable Persons’ Unit.