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3.2.8 ACRES

SCOPE OF THIS CHAPTER

This chapter describes the services provided by ACReS, the criteria for the establishment and the referral method.

This chapter was included in the second version of the Bradford Children's Social Care Manual of Procedures. It came into force in January 2008 and was revised in October 2008 to update the paperwork required when a young person receives a service.


Contents

  1. Introduction
  2. What ACReS Does
  3. What ACReS Provides
  4. Referrals
  5. Legal Status
  6. Family Support Panel
  7. Case Management
  8. Paperwork


1. Introduction

ACReS is a four-bedded establishment, staffed by a team of 16 and it forms a part of the residential service to children. One of the beds is for overnight emergencies for up to 24 hours and the other three are for planned work. 

Social Workers should note that children and young people who require a placement beyond 10 am on the following day of their placement, may only do so on the proviso that there is no impact upon the establishment’s core service provision.


2. What ACReS Does

ACReS supports young people by doing direct work with them and outreach work with their parents or family carers to keep them in their home, prevent breakdown and admission to the care system. ACReS’ also works with young people and families during the transition from care back to their home.


3. What ACReS Provides

ACReS works with young people aged 11 – 16 and offers focused support packages involving respite and outreach for a maximum period of 28 days.


4. Referrals

Referrals will be accepted directly from the child’s Social Worker who must complete a Referral For Service form. The emergency bed can only be accessed via Placement Coordination or outside office hours the on-call residential manager.


5. Legal Status

The majority of young people will come for a series of planned short-term placements, agreed in advance and therefore come under the Regulation 13 Respite Looked After Children arrangements.

Young people who occupy the emergency bed for a one off or ad hoc placement are Accommodated as this is a single placement for 24 hours.

Where young people are already Looked After (E.g. foster care or placement with parents) then any stay at ACReS will be regarded as being a new placement for the period of the agreement.

Placement Status Paperwork Planning Review
Planned series of short-term placements Respite LAC ACReS Service Agreement,
Medical Consent		 Referral
ACReS IA
ACReS Plan		 Weekly review by ACReS,
Feed into Child in Need review process
Emergency
24 hours		 Accommodated – single placement Placement Plan/Placement Information Record ACReS to manage exit plan with SW support After 24 hours if no exit
Respite support to foster placement or placement with parents LAC ACReS Service Agreement Referral, Informal planning meeting,
ACReS plan		 Weekly review by ACReS,
Feedback to CC Review


6. Family Support Panel

ACReS is represented on the Family Support Panel that meets every Tuesday. Some cases will be allocated to ACReS via this forum; they will then follow the normal information gathering and planning process. See Placement Coordination Team


7. Case Management

This remains with the allocated worker and area team. Close case management will be expected to enable ACReS involvement to have a successful impact.


8. Paperwork

ACReS will require all planned cases to have a Service Agreement form signed by the case holder and parental responsibility agreed with the appropriate person. Medical information is also required and Consent signed for. A C250 form should be completed for all cases that require accommodation beyond an agreed respite package (i.e., cases using the “emergency bed” provision and cases already designated as Looked After Children). ACReS have access to Placement Plan/Placement Information Record and will record all planning and direct work appropriately.

End