Plan solution-focused 'Team around the Child' (TAC) meetings
When it becomes evident that a child or young person’s additional needs are complex, and the support from multiple teams from within a setting and from external services/agencies is considered appropriate, joint planning is always the best way forward. A Team Around the Child – or TAC – meeting aims to bring together all those involved so that information can be shared once instead of repeatedly, and all parties hear the views of others – including those of the child/young person (either through their attendance at the meeting or a prepared statement) and his/her family. That said, actually finding a mutually convenient time to convene a TAC meeting in person – or even on Teams or Zoom! – is often an astronomic challenge in itself.
Not unexpectedly, it is easy for these meetings to focus purely on information dissemination and – for want of a better phrase – ‘going over old ground’ and, thus, they can sometimes take a long time even to get started. A solution-focused approach to TAC meetings helps to move things forwards by identifying what the priorities need to be for the child/young person and to look specifically at what positive outcomes might look like. Then, it is a case of working together to offer and plan support, with realistic and agreed timescales, to enable the child to take the next steps towards those agreed outcomes.
Chairing a multi-agency meeting can be challenging and sometimes daunting, especially if there are lots of people around the table, some of whom have particularly strong views, and so a clear format and agenda is required. This will help you to maintain structure and to ensure that the main focus is on progression rather than on what has happened historically.
At the end of the meeting you will also need to ensure that a follow-up meeting date is agreed in order that progress towards the agreed goals can be evaluated, and further support planned, if required. (Click here for a suggested agenda and template for minuting a TAC).
For more support with effective multi-agency planning to meet the needs of children with SEND, contact me.