Background
The key worker project focuses on young people with learning disabilities, autistic young people, and their families. These groups face challenges when they head toward crisis. Where crises happen and help is not available locally, children and young people with a learning disability, autism or both may end up in mental health settings that are not always well placed to meet their needs. A key worker can make sure the voice of the young person, and their family is heard, and they get the right support at the right time. They can help make sure that local systems are responsive to meeting their needs in a holistic and joined up way.
We want Dorset families to report improved access to the right support and improved experiences through key working, in line with the outcomes that have been co-produced with NHS England. Keyworker pilots highlight that key working, in genuine partnership with families, is delivering these outcomes for families and helping avoid hospital admissions. The work done in other areas will help us develop a key working approach for Dorset.
NHS Dorset are working with partners to develop a key working model that will add value and work alongside existing services, roles and functions within the system. We will implement localised models to meet the needs of our population and will work with children, young people and their families, and professionals to ensure our key working approach is delivering the expected outcomes and benefits.
