Who’s Who in Social Care

Children’s centres: based all around the county and city are places where parents can access services and support for their children, as well as advice and information. Currently the centres cater for children under 5 however this is going to be extended to under 12's from late 2012 onwards. They are made up of health visitors, family support workers, play teams, speach and language therapists, early years visitors, community nursery nurses and community health nurses.

Community Family Worker: works in the home alongside the parents, offering practical and emotional support.

Duty Officer: a social worker or social work resource officer who is taking his or her turn on the 'duty desk', taking new referrals and dealing with emergencies.

Early years visitors: work alongside health visitors as part of the children centre's. They support families, where children or parents have additional needs, and will work with you at home or at the children’s centre. They also run a variety of groups and activities at the children’s centres.

Family link workers: are also known as Linx workers or Parent Support Advisers. They provide support to families and are a link between home and school.

Occupational Therapist (OT): Social Care employ their own team of occupational therapists who carry out specialised assessments for families who need equipment and adaptations to the home. Health services also employ a team of occupational therapists. The two teams workclosely together and will explain their different roles.

Outreach Workers: provide programmes of activities for children, either in their own home or by taking them out. Outreach workers can be obtained through a number of services including charities and inclusion services.

Social Workers and Social Work Resource Officers: can offer advice and counselling to families. They assess what kind of help you might need, and try to get it for you. They can offer ongoing emotional and practical support to families. Social workers are employed by Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Council's Children and Young People's Trust. Some work for the Children's Disability Team and have more specialised knowledge about the kinds of help available for children with disabilities and their families.