Designated social care officer (DSCO)
The designated social care officer (DSCO) works across education, health and social care to act as an enabler for system change.
The DCSO is a member of the SEND Partnership and works with:
- early help services
- social care
- the designated clinical officers (DCOs)
- SENDIAS
- parents, carers and young people
The role has been developed to recognise that social care is not a simple system to navigate. And that people access support through inclusive practices in universal early help provision.
The role of the DSCO
The DSCO has a role to support strategic development in:
- supporting co-production and the position of parents
- promoting the voices of children and young people
- supporting the Inclusion Service in monitoring the quality of Social Care Advice
- delivering positive outcomes in line with the graduated approach
- ensuring social care and SEND processes are increasingly aligned and allow for the early identification of children with SEND
- monitoring the Local Offer, in relation to the social care offer
- supporting workforce development in relation to SEND and Social Care
- working with commissioners to ensure the local offer addresses the social care needs of children and young people with SEND
The DSCO will:
- provide a point of contact for parents/carers, partner agencies and professionals to support the resolution of queries and concerns related to the quality and interaction of Early Help, Social Care and SEND services
- promote an understanding of the thresholds for social care support and statutory intervention – and appreciation of legislative requirement
Contact
Clive Groves