Our Teams
Early Response Hub (ERH)
A multi-agency hub with the aim providing an early response, to prevent a family from reaching a crisis point of a risk of harm to a child and therefore requiring social work intervention.
Contact, Advice and Assessment Service (CAAS)
CAAS is our 'front door' team, providing a statutory service, working with the case from the initial referral until a decision has been made about the need for it to be transferred to another team for longer-term work or to be closed.
Family Safeguarding Teams
These are statutory social work team and hold a mixed caseload. They work with families once an assessment has established the need for longer-term work. It brings together a co-located, multi-agency team which means they are able to provide intensive support to parents whose problems with substance misuse, mental health and domestic abuse place children at risk of harm.
The Family Safeguarding East Team covers the area from East of Thatcham to some parts of Tilehurst in Reading.
The Family Safeguarding West Team covers Newbury and West to Lambourn.
Children in Care Team
The team prioritises the holistic needs of West Berkshire's children in care, aged between 0- 16yrs. It holds corporate parental responsibility for children & young people who are the subject of a Care Order and aims to ensure every child has a stable home where they feel safe and where they can thrive and achieve their full potential.
16+ and Leaving Care Team
The team provides advice, assistance and befriending to young people aged 16+ who are or have been in Care within the Children and Family Service. This includes working with the young person to support them towards independent living.
Youth Justice Support Team & The Edge
YJST work with young people aged 10 - 18 with the aim of preventing them from offending, re-offending, and helping them to engage in activities to fulfil their potential.
The Edge provides information, advice and support to young people up to the age of 18 with sexual health, drug and alcohol issues.
Family Placement Team
The team is responsible for the recruitment, assessment, training and support of Foster Carers within West Berkshire. The team also conducts private fostering assessments, Connected Persons assessments and Special Guardianship Orders.
Children with Disabilities Team
The team sits within the Education Service and is a statutory social work and Occupational Therapy Team and holds a mixed caseload.
Quality Assurance and Safeguarding (QAAS)
QASS is an independent service responsible for monitoring and quality assurance of West Berkshire's safeguarding and looked after functions. This includes chairing Child Protection Conferences and providing an Independent Reviewing Officer for each Child in Care as well as the Local Authority Designated Officer.
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