What is a Joint Access Team (JAT)?

A JAT consists of members of the Children's Trust for Nottinghamshire (e.g. social care, education, healthcare, Police, voluntary sector). JATs work in local areas that geographically serve a family of schools. This way of working is Nottinghamshire’s response to the Every Child Matters agenda, enabling services to work in an integrated way to support children, young people and families.

For more information, see our FAQs below.

You can find more details about local JATs in - Ashfield, Bassetlaw, Broxtowe, Gedling, Mansfield, Newark and Sherwood, and Rushcliffe, as well as relevant resources related to Joint Access Teams and the Common Assessment Framework.

Frequently-Asked Questions;

• What is the aim of Integrated Locality working?
• How many JATs are there?
• What links are there between the development of JATs and other initiatives around integrated working?
• Can the JAT initiate support for any Child or Young Person?
• How do I get the JAT involved?
• Can anyone make a request for discussion to a JAT?
• Is this consent essential?
• Who forms part of JAT and how is this decided?
• Is JAT membership flexible?
• Are all the JATs made up of the same Services?
• How often and where do JATs meet?
• What assessment tool is used by the JATs?
• Is a CAF completed on every child or young person brought for discussion?
• How are Information Sharing protocols observed?
• How is the participation of C&YP ensured?
• Who monitors and evaluates the work of the JAT?
• What data is kept on C&YP discussed at a JAT?

What is the aim of Integrated Locality Working?
For agencies to work together to give Children and Young People appropriate support in their community. This reduces the number of meetings held and shortens the support process. In Nottinghamshire, Integrated Locality Working is done by Joint Acess Teams (JATs).

How many JATs are there?
By Spring 2010 all schools will have access to a JAT.

What links are there between the development of JATs and other initiatives around integrated working?
JATs link with Children’s Centre work around multi-agency support for children aged 0 – 5 years through joint planning and attendance at JAT meetings. Members of the newly extended Emotional Health and Well Being Team sit on JATs. The roll out of Integrated Locality Working is closely tied to that of Extended Services. The whole ethos of Joint Access Teams and Integrated Locality Working is to work together through building on current good practice to avoid duplication and provide the best possible support for children, young people and their families.

Can the JAT initiate support for any Child or Young Person?
The focus of the JAT is early intervention, not only in terms of age but also in need, with a focus on prevention through services working together. If it is a child protection issue, NSCB processes will be followed.

How do I get the JAT involved?
Through completion of a simple request for discusson form (see right hand column) which is then sent to the chair person or appropriate member of the Integrated Services Team for discussion at a JAT. The person making the request may attend the JAT.

Can anyone make a request for discussion to a JAT?
Yes – as long as the consent of the child / young person or their family has been obtained.

Is this consent essential?
Yes – unless it is a child protection issue, in which case use normal NSCB process.

Who forms part of JAT and how is this decided?
The JAT is made up of local practitioners from a range of services. Membership is decided through discussion at a local level, built around a Family of Schools.

Is JAT membership flexible?
Yes. Whilst the agreed membership remains consistent, other agencies can attend as appropriate.

Are all the JATs made up of the same Services?
No – because membership is agreed in response to locality issues / needs. However, there is a high level of commonality in the membership of our current JATs with representation from Primary and Secondary Schools, Police, Connexions, Youth Service, Children’s Centres, Emotional Health and Well Being, Social Care, Extended Services, Health (School Nurses or Health Visitors), Education Welfare Service, Inclusion Services Group (Educational Psychology Service, Inclusion Support Service, Behaviour Support Team), Family Centres, Face it / WAM and the Voluntary Sector, District Council Members, Local Education Officers, Parent Participation Officers and School Improvement Services.

How often and where do JATs meet?
Monthly at a venue within the locality.

What assessment tool is used by the JATs?
The Common Assessment Framework (CAF).

Is a CAF completed on every child or young person brought for discussion?
No, a decision is made through discussion.

How are Information Sharing protocols observed?
Protocols around confidentiality and information sharing are common to all JATs in accordance with national guidance – see www.everychildmatters.gov.uk/informationsharing . All JAT minutes are password protected.

How is the participation of C&YP ensured?
At each JAT meeting an agency provides a profile of their work. As part of this they are asked to talk about C&YP participation. The Integrated Services Team have formed a participation group to further develop and maintain this area of work and to link with developments in other agencies.

Who monitors and evaluates the work of the JAT?
Links to Local Strategic Partnerships are being established in order to develop District-based Steering Groups. Test bed pilots in Ashfield and Newark and Sherwood will further progress this work. An independent evaluation will also be carried out

What data is kept on C&YP discussed at a JAT?
A spreadsheet detailing service involvement and outcomes is kept, currently in each locality but work is being done on centralising this.

If a CAF is carried out it is logged centrally, the how to log a CAF in Nottinghamshire leaflet explains how to do this.