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2.1.7 Multi Agency Placement Team (MAPT)

SCOPE  OF THIS CHAPTER

The MAPT is a joint panel of senior representatives from Education, Health and Children, Young People and Families Directorate. The Panel will consider the arrangements for the education, health and social care of children/young people with particularly complex and high levels of need within the Bradford District where consideration is being given either

  1. to the placement of the child/young person Out of District

    or
  2. returning the child/young person from an external placement to local provision within the District.

The guiding principle of the MAPT is that in general, children/young people are best cared for in the Bradford District, within or close to their own families, friends and familiar surroundings. The aim is to promote social, cultural and educational inclusion and health equality for all local children and young people through the provision and development of effective multi-agency Education, Health and Social Care Partners are committed to ensuring that the local or contracted arrangements for children and young people with complex needs are managed in an integrated way.


Contents

  1. The MAPT Exists to:
  2. MAPT - How to make a Referral
  3. Implementation of Panel Advice
  4. Review of Decisions
  5. Monitoring and Evaluation
  6. Sharing of Information


1. The MAPT Exists to:

  1. advise as to whether the needs of individual child/young people can still be met by local services within the Bradford District, taking account of the services available from the three statutory agencies (Children, YP & Families Directorate, Education and Health)
  2. enable the flexible and enhanced use of local service provision and to advice on new initiatives to meet unmet individual needs.
  3. recommend when a placement Out of District Bradford is required, appropriate contributions towards funding from the three statutory agencies.
  4. monitor the outcomes for children/young people referred to the Panel.


2. MAPT - How to make a Referral

Referral Criteria - The criteria are as follows:

Situations where at least two agencies are actively involved with the child/young person or where one of the agencies believes it needs the involvement of one or more of the other agencies to contribute to the achievement of a successful placement and positive outcomes of services for the child/young person.

and

where all normal inter-agency planning processes and services have been unable to meet a child/young person's needs locally.

All referrals must be submitted on a typed fully completed referral form via the referrers Designated Panel Member. Referral forms can be obtained from the MAPT Administrator Full discussions must have already taken place within the line management structure or other appropriate mechanisms of the referring agencies.  Direct referrals to the Panel will not be accepted from individuals.

Referrals must be made to the Designated Panel member/MAPT Administrator at least two weeks prior to the date of the Panel meeting in order to allow the administrator to compile relevant information.

Responsibilities of professionals referring cases to the Panel:

referrers must complete a MAPT referral form particularly the sections relating to key contacts in other agencies.  The referrer must direct the form via the nominated Designated Panel member for their agency. 

Referrals will either be considered at the first available Panel or agenda for a specified date. Urgent referrals, which arise outside of the agreed timescales, must be discussed by the referrer with the designated Panel member for their agency who may agree to discuss this case with the Chair for urgent inclusion on the next agenda.  Exceptional cases only will be handled this way.

The Panel will draw upon the experience and knowledge of service managers, commissioners and professional advisers on the Panel, together with supporting reports prepared by referrers, in order to advise on whether there are further service options within Bradford which might meet the child/young person's needs and enable them to remain in their local community.

The Panel may consider that a child/young person's needs could be met within Bradford, with the addition of some new or further flexible service(s) from one or more agencies. The Panel may advise referrers about local service options together with additional flexible services to support the child/young person, and in this instance, the Panel will recommend how such additional services will be funded or provided through one of the partner agencies.

On some occasions, the Panel may advise that there are no further service options within the Bradford District that should be tried or considered, and that a placement Out of District is required. The Panel will advise referrers to seek an "Out of District placement".

The Panel may suggest a particular type of placement to address specified needs. The Panel will recommend how such a placement could be funded through appropriate contributions from the partner agencies.

The Panel will advise that an "Out of District Placement" should be sought when:

all local service options in Bradford have been tried or considered, but the needs of the child/young person still cannot be met by one or more of the agencies in Bradford either within existing resources or by the addition of further flexible services                                                             

and

there is evidence of the effectiveness of the proposed placement in meeting needs and of best value

and

where the placement can be financed within available resources.

The Panel will operate to Best Value and Clinical Governance principles in order to ensure that resources are effectively, efficiently and economically managed.


3. Implementation of Panel Advice

Informing Referrers

The administrator will take responsibility for sending the recommendations to the referrers within three working days.

Communication of Panel recommendations to young person and parents/carers will be undertaken by the referrer.

Implementing Local Packages of Care

The Panel will identify appropriate officers or a lead agency to take forward local packages of support.

Contracting for Out of District Placements

The Panel will identify appropriate officers of a lead agency to make Out of District placements, subject to confirmation of funding agreement by agencies in response to Panel advice. 

For joint funded "Out of District" placements, the PCT will make a contribution to the total costs of the placement, which, after appropriate consideration, reflects the health care provided by the placement. 


4. Review of Decisions

Parents/carers through the referrer or the referrer acting in their own right may request that the Panel reviews its recommendation. It is the responsibility of the referrer, when conveying recommendations to parents/carers, to inform parents/carers of this review process. 

Requests for reviews should be sent to the administrator within 21 days of receipt of the recommendation and should be supported by any new significant information, which was not previously considered by the Panel. The Panel Chair has the discretion to vary this timescale. Reviews will normally take place at the next Panel meeting.

Only one review will normally be considered. Where there is a significant change in circumstances, or a previous Panel recommendation has not proved successful, referrers would be expected to re-refer the case in the usual way.

Although reviews will normally take place at the next Panel meeting, in the interests of natural justice, additional advice will be sought from an advisor within each of the three agencies, and this advice will be shared at the Panel meting.

Formal appeals can be made through normal agency channels.


5. Monitoring and Evaluation

  • Cumulative quarterly and annual management reports will be provided which   include:
  • Number of cases considered and recommendations made
  • Progress/outcomes for those children/young people placed out of District
  • Progress/outcomes for those children/young people maintained within local resources.
  • Expenditure by each agency on support arrangements or placements made.
  • Current placement list showing individual child/young people by unit, which can be considered and updated by Panel members.
  • Trends and patterns in referrals and placements.
  • General commissioning/contracting information.
  • Best Value and Clinical Governance considerations.


6. Sharing of Information

The Panel should only receive the minimum necessary information, assessment and reports to review the needs of the child/young person and make appropriate recommendations. Information received by the Panel should be treated as confidential. Agency protocols still apply regarding retention, amendment and destruction of information. Agencies where appropriate will ensure that they obtain consent, through the appropriate officer, to share information with the Panel.

End