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Contents

1. Determining which Team Takes the Case
2. Transfers from Child and Family Teams (CFT) to LAC     
3. Transfers from Young People and Families Teams (YPFT) to LAC     
4. Care Proceedings or Involving Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children
5. Within Looked After Children’s Team (LAC)
6. Transfer of Work to Looked After Children’s Team (LAC) to Leaving Care Service (LCS)

1. Determining which Team Takes the Case

Allocation of incoming work to LAC teams is determined by which team is on “take week”. The “take team” rota is available from LAC team managers and admin staff.

Cases are allocated to LAC teams on the basis of the following agreement:

From Children and Family teams the team ‘on take’ on the week of the child’s 11th Birthday takes the case. With sibling groups this is the team ‘on take’ on the week of the 11th birthday of the child who tips the balance to make the average age of the children 11 – no half ages! If the mean age is over 11 use the birthday of youngest child to identify which is ‘take’ team.

From Young People and Family Teams it is the team ‘on take’ for the child’s birthday that year.

From Assessment Teams (where legal proceedings have been instituted or UASC) the ‘take’ team should be the one on take for the child’s birthday

The identified ‘take team’ Senior Care Manager will then take responsibility for finding a ‘home’ for the case and will be the person referring teams will liaise with. 

If the relevant Senior Care Manager is on leave or not available within key timescales the duty Senior Care Manager should be approached.

Siblings – the overriding principle is that if siblings are looked after, case responsibility should not be split between LAC and area teams.  However if the care plans are significantly different consideration should be given to the merits of separate case holding (see Protocol for Transfer of Work) and Core Assessment Procedure.

2. Transfers from Child and Family Teams (CFT) to LAC

• 3 months notice should be given
• Documentation- chronology and copy of last review must be up date for receiving Senior Care Manager to read.
• If there are practice reasons why change should not be on the 11th birthday discussion between Senior Care Manager’s to agree appropriate time (before or after 11th birthday)
• 6 weeks before transfer LAC the Senior Care Manager must identify new worker. If prevented from doing so, the LAC Senior Care Manager will agree a contingency handover plan with Children and Family Senior Care Manager
• LAC worker must familiarise themselves with case and arrange introductions to key parties with handing over worker
• Child’s review is not the place to effect introductions
• Children and Family Team worker must bring the child’s file up to date and Children and Family Senior Care Manager must check and sign off the file which must contain (at least): a chronology, a care plan, LAC paper work, PEP and up to date profile notes 

3. Transfers from Young People and Families Teams (YPFT) to LAC

• Early warning of potential transfers should be passed from Senior Care Manager to Senior Care Manager by phone or e-mail
• In cases where care proceedings are to be instituted it is important that a worker from LAC is identified so they can take full responsibility of the case fully from the first hearing. If proceedings are planned (notice etc.) it is important that the LAC team are notified of the need to allocate as soon as possible.
• Case allocated in LAC when there is a core assessment, supported by a chronology and care plan indicating that a young person is not going to be rehabilitated in the short term and is going to remain looked after for a period in excess of 3 months.
• YPFT worker or Senior Care Manager proposes process and timescales for handover and introduction of key parties
• YPFT Senior Care Manager checks file and signs off for transfer – must have chronology, care plan, LAC paper work, PEP and up to date profile notes

4. Care Proceedings or those Involving Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children

• Early warning of potential transfers should be passed from Senior Care Manager to Senior Care Manager by phone or e-mail
• The Case should be allocated immediately within LAC. LAC worker liaises with YPFT or Assessment Team worker regarding most appropriate introduction process
• YPFT/Assessment Team complete administration
• LAC worker takes responsibility from the first hearing 

5. Within Looked After Children Teams (LAC)

An allocation list is kept centrally with details of cases coming into LAC and needing allocation. Each Senior Care Manager should update this and record date updated this list to be considered in each management meeting.

Where cases need reallocating within LAC they should also go on this list.

• The key Senior Care Manager remains the manager responsible for cases on the allocation list
• All Looked After Children cases must be allocated – prioritisation will be given to the of Looked After Children over children who are not Looked After
• Siblings – Where possible siblings should be allocated with same worker/same team/ same building

6. Transfer of Work to Looked After Children’s Team (LAC) to Leaving Care Service (LCS)

Transition meetings take place regularly between the managers of the Looked After Children’s Teams and Leaving Care Service to plan transfers of work.

See Leaving Care Service Procedure, Appointment of Personal Advisers

End