Decision details

Following the ILACS in May 2024 and subsequent inspection report in July 2024, Children’s Services have developed a programme around the stabilisation and redesign of Children’s Social Care to become a proactive early intervention and prevention system across Halton. Executive Board have approved funding of £4.2 million over the next 3 years to invest in the delivery of this programme.

Part of this programme was the implementation of a newly formed Edge of Care Team (EOC). This team will work with complex and vulnerable families who are on the edge of care. They will support families to remain safely in their home environment or be reunited within their family/kinship networks where it was safe to do so. The aim of the service is to reduce the demand for high cost residential placements, which often means moving children away from families and local networks. This will be achieved through offering more stability and better connections with families, and building relationships within communities and increasing resilience into adulthood.

The service proposal consisted of roles recruited to within Halton Borough Council and also specialist clinical roles (Clinical Psychologist and Mental Health Practitioner) to support this team to achieve their aims and outcomes. All internal recruitment is now complete with the team going live in June 2025.

Following strategic discussions with our partners it was agreed that Merseycare would support in delivering the clinical expertise needed to support the Edge of Care Team. Further discussions have been collaboratively ongoing with a contract between both parties being drawn up.

Due to the desire to recruit these roles and embed them into the Edge of Care team as a priority, and the summer recess meaning no Executive Board meeting to sign off the waiver the request is to sign off the waiver so as not to delay the recruitment process. The contract for of these roles will be £146,539.99 per annumn.

To recruit internally- This was explored however several benefits were identified through working in collaboration with our partners in this area. Firstly, they are the experts in both recruitment and retention in this area and Halton will benefit from this by doing this process collaboratively with them.

Secondly, part of the clinical registration for both roles is that the individuals have regular clinical supervision, something that will be provided by Merseycare through this contract. This will mean Halton do not need to engage with a third party organisation to do this.

Additionally several other benefits have been identified through greater collaboration with our partners. This includes access to the wider CAHMS team for specialist advice and guidance where needed. Both individuals recruited will also be attending the Halton CAHMS clinical meetings allowing for EoC cases to be highlighted within health services and referrals escalated.


To wait until next available Executive Board (11 Sept 25)- As in many areas, recruitment for specialist health and clinical roles can be challenging. It is felt that expediting this process will provide essential skills into what is an instrumental team to support Halton’s vision for improved service for children and families across the borough. Any delays to this process may delay the teams’ ability to achieve their outcomes.

To recruit internally- This was explored however several benefits were identified through working in collaboration with our partners in this area. Firstly, they are the experts in both recruitment and retention in this area and Halton will benefit from this by doing this process collaboratively with them.

Secondly, part of the clinical registration for both roles is that the individuals have regular clinical supervision, something that will be provided by Merseycare through this contract. This will mean Halton do not need to engage with a third party organisation to do this.

Additionally several other benefits have been identified through greater collaboration with our partners. This includes access to the wider CAHMS team for specialist advice and guidance where needed. Both individuals recruited will also be attending the Halton CAHMS clinical meetings allowing for EoC cases to be highlighted within health services and referrals escalated.


To wait until next available Executive Board (11 Sept 25)- As in many areas, recruitment for specialist health and clinical roles can be challenging. It is felt that expediting this process will provide essential skills into what is an instrumental team to support Halton’s vision for improved service for children and families across the borough. Any delays to this process may delay the teams’ ability to achieve their outcomes.