Targeted youth support: multi-agency team with focus on effective joint working with families, schools and communities

The Gospel Oak area consists of four communities in north London: Castlehaven, Gospel Oak, Maitland Park and South End. The GO multi-agency team (GOMAT) began its work as part of the neighbourhood renewal 'GO Project', which focused on more effective joint working with families, schools and communities in the area.

GOMAT has a well established base with numerous links to schools and other agencies. This enables a greater coherence of support to children with special educational needs, particularly where there are multiple needs spread over a range of services.

The model adopted by the GO multi-agency team is evidence based and complies with the duties outlined in Every Child Matters (Children's Act 2004). It is particularly suited to support those with multiple needs who need quick and easy referral.

Aims and objectives

GOMAT aims to provide and facilitate widespread local initiatives across a number of sectors to ensure coherence in children's services and better outcomes for children, young people and families. To achieve this, the team works at individual, whole school and community levels providing consultative and direct work. 

The strengths of a locality-based service are better prevention; early intervention; focus on local community needs; stronger focus on parenting and families; better information and access to services; more joined up assessment and delivery.

How are the services managed?

There is a fully operational GOMAT locality centre based in Haverstock full service extended school. The team has a management, administration and publicity component, and a practitioner group, which includes education welfare, educational psychology, behaviour support, safeguarding and social care, CAMHS, and a close link with the extended schools coordinator. Meetings are held monthly for locality-based practitioners to coordinate their work.

Ideas are shared and work is linked at termly meetings facilitated by GOMAT. These network meetings include the practitioner group but involve a wider range of services working in and around the schools and the community, such as the Children's Fund, family support, housing, leisure and play, police, Sure Start, youth and Connexions, health, SEN, and the youth offending team.

GOMAT has also developed a multi-agency two-hour workshop training package. This aims to help schools and services reflect on their current working practices, joint-working and communication.

Click to read more good practice case studies related to the targeted youth support change process.