4.2.10 Crisis Care |
AMENDMENT
Section 6, Access to the Service was revised in January 2010 to clarify the arrangements for making crisis care placements.
Contents
1. Introduction
Crisis Care provides emergency overnight accommodation for young people aged 11-16 who are in need of emergency care. This includes children who have run away from home and cannot be returned.
The scheme is limited and the provision of beds is only available with carers who have been approved by the Fostering Panel and it is available on a first come, first served basis.
2. Aims
- To provide an emergency/crisis service for young people aged 11- 16 who are temporarily without a placement. (children are usually admitted under Sec 20)
- To Provide a service to young runaways at the point when they are found or ask for help.
3. Objectives
- To offer time limited placements (24 - 48 hours, 72 hours for a weekend) with approved foster carers.
- To give young people and families breathing space to enable professionals time to negotiate a return home if appropriate, so reducing the risk of family breakdown and the young person being accommodated longer term. Where this fails , to create enough time for a further care placement to be identified.
- To facilitate young runaways’ access to mainstream services through initial assessments and to help them wherever possible to return home. Longer-term support, including ongoing Support Care can then be planned as appropriate.
4. Role of Crisis Carers
- To be available for overnight stays for a maximum of 48 hours (72 hours at weekends or bank holidays). This is provided on a rota basis
- To be available to EDT out of office hours
5. Crisis Care Placements
The child’s social worker or EDT worker must provide a risk assessment based on the available information before a placement can be agreed.
Crisis carers cannot provide day care from Mondays to Fridays.
6. Access to the Service
There are two access points to the service; one during office hours and the other is for EDT workers. During office hours Social Workers should contact the Placement Co-ordination Team. If they feel Crisis care is appropriate the Social Worker is asked to contact the scheme who will inform them whether a suitable placement is available and if the young person would normally have been accommodated under section 20 of the Children Act. The Social Worker would then make the travel arrangements and provide for the carer.
- A medical consent form
- A Risk Assessment
- An ICS Personal Information Record.
Crisis care placements are available from 6.30pm to 7.30am. Arrangements would need to be made by the Social Worker for day care. Two options for this are the Placement Support team or an emergency child Minder. Crisis Care would approach the latter on behalf of the Social Worker. Again the Social Worker would arrange transport.
EDT workers will be provided with a list of carers who are available to provide a placement and then they may contact the carers directly to discuss the feasibility of the placement. If it is agreed, the EDT worker must provide the information listed above. EDT would also arrange day care if needed. Emergency Child Minders can be approached up to 11.00pm or after 6.15am.
End