4.1.1 Route Map for Looked After Children

SCOPE OF THIS CHAPTER

This chapter was introduced to this manual in November 2011.

This Chapter summarises the steps/actions that must be taken in relation to Looked After Children from the point of Referral to Leaving the Looked After Service (Leaving Care). Where appropriate Chapter references are provided; alternatively users may click on Keywords for additional guidance.

RELATED CHAPTERS

This Chapter should be read in conjunction with Decision to Look After a Child and Care Planning Procedure.

Also see Steps for ICS

Referral Decision on outcome of Referral within 1 working day	Information received that child may be a Child in Need of services. See Initial Contact and Referral Procedures Complete Referral and Information Record

Initial Assessment Within 10 working days	Child seen by social worker. Assessment identifies one of following: Child in Need requiring Core Assessment. Possible Significant Harm; leading to Strategy Discussion and possible Core Assessment with Child Protection Assessment. Child in Need with service provided and no Core Assessment. Child not in need, sign post to other agencies and/or NFA. If the child is at risk of Significant Harm, there may be a need to take steps to protect the child, including obtaining an Emergency Protection Order. See Initial Assessment Procedure and Core Assessment Procedure

Core Assessment Within maximum of 35 working days except where an Initial Child Protection Conference is convened, in which case the Core Assessment is completed within 15 working days	Core Assessment identifies child's needs and services required. Possible Strategy Discussion and Initial Child Protection Conference- may lead to the formulation of a Child Protection Plan. See Initial Assessment Procedure and Core Assessment Procedure

Conclusion reached that parent(s) are not meeting child's needs.

Consider additional support to maintain placement at home. Hold Planning Meeting	Referral for services to maintain child within the home.

Consider other Family Options	Consider supporting arrangements for child to live with other family members, with support if necessary, which would avoid need for child to be Looked After.

Conclusion reached that child should be Looked After.

Seek parents' agreement	Where possible, parents' agreement sought to child's admission to Looked After Service. If the Senior Care Manager is satisfied that the Threshold Criteria is met a letter before proceedings must be sent See Annexe B (Pre-proceedings letter to parents) of Public Law Outline Procedure

Seek legal advice	Seek legal advice if necessary and decide whether child should be Looked After by being Accommodated or via Care Proceedings, in which case refer case to Care Proceedings Panel. See Court Proceedings Procedure And Public Law Outline for the Pre proceedings checklist

Consider Looked After Placement Options	Consider Looked After Placement with relative/friend, with support if necessary. If suitable relative/friend available and placement likely to last for more than 16 weeks, assessment as Kinship Foster Carer required. See Placement with Connected Persons (Formerly Regulation 38 Placements with Family and Friends) Procedure If no family member available or suitable to care for child, consider other placement options in accordance with Permanence Planning Procedure.

Draft Care Plan	Care Plan drafted in outline, identifying purpose of admission to Looked After Service, how the local authority will exercise its responsibilities for the child including type of placement and contact with parents. See Care Plans Guidance

Seek approval for Care Plan and Placement	Seek approval to Care Plan and placement via Placement Matters Meeting. In emergency, seek Panel approval within 72 hours of the child’s placement. See Decision to Look After, Care and Permanence Planning Procedure Team Manager issues a letter before proceedings (See Public Law Outline) Meet with parents and their legal representatives.

Initiate Court action	Where Court action considered necessary, Care Proceedings initiated or other appropriate Court application initiated, evidence prepared and hearing date arranged. For Secure Accommodation, the Designated Manager (Secure Placements) can authorise up to 72 hours in Secure Accommodation without a Court Order). See Placements In Secure Accommodation Procedure.

Placement Planning Meeting within 72 hours of placement	Placement Planning Meeting to be held prior to placement wherever possible or within 72 hours of placement if made in an emergency.

Complete Care Plan 72 hours after placement	If Care Plan was not completed before the placement, the social worker must complete and circulate it within 72 hours of the placement. All parties should be invited to sign the Care Plan.

First Court hearing	Unless parents consent to child being Accommodated, Court hearing will occur before placement unless child on Police Protection or, for a Secure Accommodation placement, 72 hours placement has been authorised by the Designated Manager (Secure Placements). Emergency Protection Order or Interim Care Order/Care Order obtained.

Place child and complete Placement Information Record before or on day of child's placement	Placement Information Record completed before or on the day of the placement - as far as it can be.

Notifications of Placement	Health and Education notified that the placement has taken place. See Decision to Look After, Care and Permanence Planning Procedure

Promote Family Contact	Detailed contact arrangements made and included within the child’s Placement Plan, in the context of the child’s Care Plan. See Contact with Parents and Siblings Procedure Contact with Relatives and Friends Procedure

Arrange first Looked After Review Arrange first Looked After Review within 28 days of placement	Independent Chairs/Quality Assurance Unit notified within one working day of child’s admission to Looked After service. Independent Reviewing Officer designated and date for the first Looked After Review arranged. See Looked After Reviews Procedure

Social worker visits The first visit should occur within 1 week of the child’s placement	Social worker visits to child made within one week of the start of any placement and then weekly for first 6 weeks if child placed with a Connected Person, or otherwise at minimum of six weekly intervals in first year of any placement, thereafter, at intervals of not more than six weeks (or 3 months if the placement is intended to last until the child is 18) for the purposes of monitoring and supporting the placement. See Social Worker Visits Procedures

Arrange Health Assessment Draft Health Action Plan	Social Worker initiates arrangement for the child to undertake a Health Assessment. The Health Assessment should contribute to the child’s Health Plan, which forms part of the child’s Care Plan with detail in the Placement Plan (recorded in the Placement Information Record) and should be completed in time for the first Looked After Review (20 working days of date from which the child became Looked After). See Health Care Assessments Procedure

Complete Personal Education Plan (PEP) In time for first Looked After Review	Social Worker to liaise with the Designated Teachers or other identified members of staff in the child’s school and the Education Department and formulate a Personal Education Plan (PEP). See Education of Looked After Children Guidance Also see Looked After Reviews Procedure

Implement Care Plan	As required by Care Plan and/or Placement Information Record, strategies implemented, further assessments organised (with Court’s permission if within Care Proceedings) and time-scales set to explore possibility of rehabilitation and/or other Permanence options including need for Parallel Plan.

Assess carers, where placement is with a Connected Person. Within 16 weeks of the placement starting	Assessment of Connected Person as foster carer presented to Fostering Panel within 16 weeks. See Placement with Connected Persons (Formerly Regulation 38 Placements with Family and Friends) Procedure

Convene first Looked After Review. Within 20 Days of the Placement	Progress in implementing aims of Care Plan considered at first Looked After Review, agenda to include setting time-scales for achieving Permanence for child. See Looked After Review Procedure

Ongoing Health Assessments	Depending on the age of the child, further Health Assessments must be conducted at between 6 and 12-month intervals. See Health Care Assessments Procedure

Interim/Final Court Hearing	Detailed Care Plan with recommendations for Court Order approved by Designated Manager (Care Proceedings) and presented to Court.

Rehabilitation Plan Implemented	Where Interim Care Order or Care Order in force, Placement with Parents Procedure (see Placement with Parents Procedure) followed. Subsequent Looked After Reviews consider need for Care Order to continue. Where no Care Order, child discharged from Looked After Service with Child in Need Plan of support and monitoring.

Permanence Plan agreed by second Looked After Review	As soon as possible, and by second Looked After Review, Care Plan incorporates Permanence Plan to be implemented for child. See Permanence Planning Procedure also Looked After Review Procedure

Where plan is for Adoption, Adoption Procedures to be followed. See Placement for Adoption Procedure.

Where plan is for placement within extended family, either as preferred plan or Parallel Plan, possible placements with family to be explored and assessed as appropriate. Where plan is for long-term foster placement, either as preferred plan or Parallel Plan. see Placements in Foster Care Procedure.

Permanence Plan implementation By third Looked After Review	Where preferred Permanence Plan not implemented by third Looked After Review, implement Parallel Plan.

Where preparation for independence appropriate.	Personal Adviser appointed and Pathway Plan drawn up and reviewed. See Leaving Care Procedure

End

4.1.1 Route Map for Looked After Children

SCOPE OF THIS CHAPTER

Referral

Initial Assessment

Core Assessment