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Contents

1. Case Responsibility/Allocation  
2. Transfer of Cases 

1. Case Responsibility/Allocation

1. Responsibility for work on a case is given to front line staff by management in the process known as allocation.
2. A case is allocated once the Team Manager has signed off a Referral on ICS; cases are not allocated until they have been signed off.
3. The Team Manager will allocate the case to an individual social worker or to “duty”.
4. Cases cannot be un-allocated; they can only be re allocated to a different worker or to duty or closed.
5. In the teams where there is a designated duty worker the duty worker holds case responsibility for all cases listed under duty. In these teams cases should appear in ICS under the designated duty workers name.
6. In the teams where duty is undertaken on a rota basis the Team Manager holds case responsibility for all cases listed under duty in ICS . They must maintain an overview of duty cases and assign tasks to the duty workers appropriately.
7. A case should only be allocated to staff with the necessary training, experience and time to deal with it properly.
8. At the point of allocation, the manager must ensure that staff are clear what has been allocated, what action is required and how that action will be reviewed and supervised.
9. Where the manager is unable to allocate a case, the Line Manager for the team should be notified and consideration given to reporting the matter to the Designated Manager (Non Allocated Cases)
10. All cases of children assessed as needing a service should be allocated; those un-allocated should be reported to members on a regular basis.
11. Only active cases should be allocated.

2. Transfer of Cases

2.1  Transfer Summary - Ensure Plans are Up to Date/Reviewed

Before the case is transferred, the manager must ensure that a Transfer Summary is completed.  This is achieved by undertaking a Child Plan Review or ensuring that the outcomes of any Looked After or other Review have been followed up and that all relevant plans are up to date, accurately reflecting the child’s needs and services being provided or required. 

2.2  Transfers between locality Teams

Within one service group - should be open to negotiation up to a maximum of 8 weeks after transfer

Between service groups - 12 weeks -the twelve weeks should be used actively for introductory meetings and briefings etc. rather than have the case sitting a waiting to be transferred.

When a social worker leaves the case should be transferred straight to the new team rather than the 12 weeks applying.

2.3  Exceptions & Complications 

When there are court cases - to be decided by the Head of Services.

Duty cases - If they have been held on Duty for less then 4 weeks they should be accepted immediately. If more than 4 weeks, this time scale is open to negotiation.

If a case has been on Duty for 8 weeks the 12 week rule applies.

Where ongoing work is being done elsewhere (for example, by the Child Residential Team, Family Partnership Team or CHMS and case is being kept open in acknowledgement) the12 week rule applies.

Where the designated duty worker is case managing the12 week rule applies.

Where ongoing payments are being made the12 week rule applies.

Where a response from a charity application is being awaited the 12-week rule does not apply.

Where a case is imported - the Head of Service arbitrates.

2.4  Health Link Team

The Health Link team takes work both from the hospital and from the community different rules apply according to where the work originates.

When a child is discharged from the hospital (either inpatient or outpatient) it immediately becomes the responsibility of the locality team. For community work, the same rule applies

For the community work the same rules apply as for the localities

If babies are born who do not have a home address it is responsibility of Health Link Team to initiate and take necessary action

End