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Contents

1. Initial Contacts 
2. Referrals 
3. Timescales 
4. Screening Process 
5. Initial Disposal of Referrals
6. Recording of Referrals 

1. Initial Contacts

An Initial Contact is made where Children and Families Service is contacted about a child, who may be a Child In Need, and where there is a request for general advice, information or a service.

All new contacts during office hours about children should be made to the Bradford Initial Contact Point.

However, referrals made directly to Area Offices should be dealt with locally to avoid service user confusion.

The person taking the contact should establish basic information about the child/ren being referred, including:

• the full name and date of birth;
• the address and 'phone number;
• a brief description of the concern.

At any time, the Senior Care Manager will decide whether an Initial Contact may become a Referral if it appears that services may be required for a Child in Need.

Children in Need who have an identified Complex Health Need or a Disability which fulfils the criteria of the disability team can be referred directly to the Complex Health or Disability Team. See Disabled Children Procedure.

Any significant information received about a child who is an open case should be regarded as an Initial Contact, passed to the child's allocated social worker and recorded on ICS.

The procedure relating to the Common Assessment Framework - Integrated Working Guidance should be considered if the contact relates to a CAF assessment. The CAF Form is not a referral form although it may be used to support a referral or a specialist assessment.

At the point when an Initial Contact in relation to a closed or new case it is passed to the Duty Worker s/he should establish whether the enquiry can be dealt with by the provision of information and advice or re-direction to other agencies or services.

Where the Initial Contact appears to be a request for services addressed to the appropriate office, the duty worker or team administrator should take basic information from the person making the contact.

The person taking the initial contact should also check ICS records to see if the child or family is known and, if known, retrieve information on them.  Any such information should be passed to the duty social worker.

The decision to progress or end a Contact should be made within 24 hours. No contacts should be held open unnecessarily, where it is clear that a Referral is required.

All new contacts must be recorded on ICS.

2. Referrals

An Initial Contact will be progressed to a Referral where the social worker or manager considers an assessment and/or services may be required for a Child In Need.

Referrals from other agencies (except the Police) will be accepted in written form or by telephone. All Referrals must be acknowledged (in writing or by telephone) within one working day. Referrers should have an opportunity to discuss their concerns with a qualified social worker.

Contacts will normally be dealt with by Children's Advisors but in their absence the Senior Care Manager must make arrangements for new contacts to be dealt with and recorded on ICS. The Children's Advisor will also ensure that the Basic Information Record is completed and that form CF4 is uploaded.

The duty social worker will arrange to visit or contact the referrer and obtain as much of the following information as possible:

• Full names, dates of birth and gender of children;
• Family address and, where relevant, school/nursery attended;
• Identity of those with Parental Responsibility;
• Names and dates of birth of all members of the household;
• Ethnicity, first language and religion of children and parents;
• Any special needs of the children;
• Any significant recent or past events;
• Cause for concern including details of allegations, their sources, timing and location;
• The child's current location and emotional and physical condition;
• Whether the child needs immediate protection;
• Details of any alleged perpetrator;
• Referrer's relationship with and knowledge of the child and his or her family;
• Known involvement of other agencies;
• Information regarding parents' knowledge and agreement to referral;
• Referrers should be asked specifically if they hold any information about difficulties being experienced by the family/household due to domestic abuse, mental illness, substance misuse, and/or learning difficulties;
• Referrers must be informed of the outcome of the Referral.

3. Timescales

Any member of staff who receives information relating to a child, who may be a Child In Need, must redirect the information to the Bradford Initial Contact Point or allocated social worker, if known. The information must be redirected immediately and within one hour at the very longest.

Once received by the appropriate team, all Referrals must be written up and a decision made about their disposal within 24 hours.

4. Screening Process

These procedures for the screening of Referrals apply to new cases of children previously unknown to the authority, and to closed cases.

Team Managers must authorise all case decisions, i.e. from Referral  to Initial Assessment  to Section 47 enquiries and to Core Assessment. Case decisions must record the rationale behind the decision making and plan.

The process of Referrals must include screening against the Prioritisation Criteria  with internal and agency checks undertaken as necessary. The child's name must be checked against ICS to establish whether the family is previously known, on the List of Children Subject to a Child Protection Plan or Looked After.

The screening process should establish:

• The nature of the concern;
• How and why it has arisen;
• What the child's needs appear to be;
• Whether the concern involves Significant Harm See West Yorkshire Consortium Procedures,1.3 Recognition of Significant Harm and also see West Yorkshire Consortium Procedures, 3.1 Referrals);
• Whether there is any need for urgent action to protect the child or any children in the household.

This process will involve:

• Discussion with the referrer;
• Consideration of any existing records, including a Child Protection Plan;
• Involving other agencies as necessary.

If there are indications that a child may be at risk of Significant Harm, the manager may authorise whatever actions are necessary to protect the child or others in the household from Significant Harm, which may result in the immediate provision of services.

If there is suspicion that a crime may have been committed including sexual or physical assault or Neglect, the Police must be notified immediately.

Personal information about non-professional referrers should not be disclosed to the parents or other agencies without the referrer's consent.

The parent's Consent should usually be sought before discussing a referral with other agencies unless this may place the child at risk of Significant Harm, in which case the manager should authorise the discussion of the referral with other agencies without parental knowledge or consent.  The authorisation should be recorded with reasons.

5. Initial Disposal of Referrals

Where the referral relates to a CAF Assessment, please see CAF Pathways for Children's Social Care (See Quick Comprehensive Guide to the Common Assessment Framework).

For guidance on the levels of need see Common Assessment Framework Procedure - Integrated Working Guidance.

The initial disposal of a Referral, which must be authorised by the manager, may be:

1. That the child does not appear to be a Child in Need (Level 1 of the Prioritisation Criteria); which will result in one of the following: the provision of information, advice, sign-posting to another agency and/or no further action;
2. That the child appears to have a low level of needs or risks which are unlikely to escalate (Level 2 of the  Prioritisation Criteria). In these circumstances the manager may authorise an Initial Assessment;
3. That the child appears to have moderate to high needs (Level 3 or above of the Prioritisation Criteria), which must initiate an Initial Assessment;
4. That it is suspected that the child is suffering or is likely to suffer from Significant Harm (Level 4 of the Prioritisation Criteria).  In these circumstances, the Manager must arrange an Initial Assessment, with a view to conducting a Strategy Discussion (See West Yorkshire Consortium Procedures, 3.1 Referrals) prior to Child Protection Enquiry and Core Assessment commencing.

Professional referrers should be advised of the disposal of the referral. 

Feedback on the outcome of the Referral should also be provided to non-professional referrers in a manner consistent with respecting the confidentiality of the child.

6. Recording of Referrals

All Initial Contacts and Referrals should be recorded on ICS and a Referral and Information Record should be completed.

End