What we do
The Key Worker Team members come from different backgrounds and bring together a variety of skills. The team work with those with a learning disability and/or who are autistic with the most complex needs and support them to get the right support at the right time.
The team creates a communication link within the system and ensures that local systems are responsive to meet a persons needs. Each person within the team support the offer that make sure service users and families are fully involved in their health and care plans, feel listened to and informed, and plans are personalised.
The service is there to reduce stress and uncertainty, increase stability, ensuring people are heard and whenever possible provide care and treatment in the community.
The following illustration is an example of the types of support the Keyworker service can provide to children, young people, and their families:
The 38/52 week work focuses on the implementation of the national panel recommendations to ensure that children and young people who are autistic or have a learning disability in 38/52 week placements are added to the DSR, allocated a Keyworker and that they have regular oversight to ensure they are safe and well.
The key aims and objectives are:
- To Identify Barnsley (as the pathfinder area) children and young people in 38/52 week placements and understand their journey, the decision points and what might have kept them closer to Barnsley/South Yorkshire.
- To capture parent carer and children/young people's voice.
- To obtain feedback from professionals involved.
- To obtain consent to add identified children and young people to DSR and add them.
- To allocate a Keyworker to identified children and young people and clarify the scope of their involvement.
- To evaluate the Barnsley pathfinder and roll out the approach to the other Places.
The NHS is initiating a proof of concept (PoC) for an Adult Key Worker Service for people with a Learning Disability and Autism, building on the success of the Children and Young People (CYP) Key Worker Initiative. The Children and Young People Key Worker model has demonstrated success in:
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Supporting individuals with complex needs and reducing crisis escalation.
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Bridging gaps between inpatient and community care services.
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Promoting early intervention and preventative care.
This adult PoC seeks to address the needs of adults with learning disabilities and autism, incorporating lessons learned from existing evaluations.
The adult PoC specifically targets the complex challenges faced by individuals with learning disabilities and autism, who often experience difficulties navigating the health and social care system.
Developing waiting well resources with other services across South Yorkshire.
Building better relationships with universal services and other services in South Yorkshire to strengthen support offers to people and their families.
Spending more time in the community and in places where people go for support and advice.
Offering better and more accessible opportunities for engagement and involvement.
The Keyworker Service have launched a new service model, the model aims to offer insight into how the service works with people and the activities they may be able to be supported with depending on their needs.
The Service model is underpinned by the Keyworker Guidance Council for Disabled Children and Building the Right Support Service Model Principles 1-9 it also incorporates the principles from the BRAG (risk stratification documents).
