3.2.1 Route Map for Looked After Children

Information received that child may be a Child in Need of services.

See Referral for Children in Need Procedure

Complete Referral and Information Record

Child seen by social worker. Assessment identifies one of following:

1. Child in Need requiring Core Assessment;
2. Possible Significant Harm; leading to Strategy Discussion and possible Core Assessment with Child Protection Assessment;
3. Child in Need with service provided and no Core Assessment;
4. 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 and Core Assessments and Planning Procedure

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 and Core Assessments and Planning Procedure

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. 

Child meets Prioritisation Criteria Placements for Looked After Service.

Decision to Look After child approved by Team Manager.

See Effective Placements and Placement Prioritisation Criteria.

Consider Looked After Placement with relative/friend, with support if necessary. If suitable relative/friend available, assessment as foster carer required.  If no family member available or suitable to care for child, consider other placement options - as summarised in Seek Placement. Legal advice and decision required as to whether child should be looked after by being accommodated or via Care Proceedings

See:

Placement with Parents Procedure

Placement with Connected Persons Procedure

Care Plans Guidance

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.

Care Plan relating to Accommodated children should be approved by the social worker's manager. Care Plan taken before the Court in relation to Care Proceedings must be endorsed and signed by the Designated Manager (Care Proceedings).

If a Care Plan is not completed at this stage, the manager may authorise that it is completed within 7 days of the child's placement.

Where Court action considered necessary, Care Proceedings initiated or other appropriate Court application, evidence prepared and hearing date arranged. 

For secure placement, Designated Manager (Placements in Secure Accommodation) can authorise up to 72 hours in Secure Accommodation without Court Order.

Placements in Secure Accommodation Procedure.

Effective Placements and Placement Prioritisation Criteria

Placements in Foster Care

Placements in Residential Care

Placements in Secure Accommodation

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 after placement has been authorised by Designated Manager.

Emergency Protection Order / Interim Care Order / Secure Accommodation Order obtained.

Placements in Secure Accommodation Procedure

Placement Plan completed before or on the day of the placement. If the Placement Plan cannot be fully completed before or on the day of the placement, a Placement Planning Meeting must be convened within 7 working days.

Placement Planning and Disruption Procedure.

If child placed in an emergency, an Emergency Placement Planning Meeting held within 72 hours of the placement to ensure placement is suitable.

Update Placement Plan and arrange Placement Planning Meetings, if necessary.

Placement Planning and Disruption Procedure.

See Looked After Reviews Procedure.

Health and Education notified that the placement has started. If the child is transferring from one placement to another or the child's legal status changes, the relevant Business Support Officer must be notified.

Placements in Foster Care Procedure

Placements in Residential Care

Placements in Secure Accommodation Procedure

Social worker visits to child should be made on the day the child is placed and then within one week of placement. When placed with a registered children’s home or approved foster carers visits should then me made at intervals of no more than six weeks during the first year of the placement. Thereafter visits should continue at intervals of no more than six weeks (or 3 months if the placement is intended to last until the child is 18) Visits must be made more frequently to children placed with Parents or Connected Persons.

The Health Care Assessment should contribute to the child's Health Action Plan, which should be incorporated into the child's Care Plan with detail in the Placement Plan and should be completed in time for the first Looked After Review.

See Health Assessments and Health Care Plans Procedure.

Detailed contact arrangements made and included within the Placement Plan in the context of the overall Care Plan.

Contact with Parents and Siblings Procedure

Contact with Relatives, Friends and Visitors Procedure

If Care Plan was not completed before the placement, and the manager authorised it, the social worker may complete and circulate it within 10 days of the first placement. All parties should be invited to sign the Care Plan.

Care Plans Guidance.

Social Worker to liaise with child’s school and/or the Education Department and formulate a Personal Education Plan (PEP).

Education of Looked After Children Procedure

Looked After Reviews Procedure

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.

See Permanence Planning Procedure

Assessment of Relative/Friend as foster carer presented to Fostering Panel within 16 weeks. Specific approval is required for such a placement before approval by Fostering Panel

See Placement with Connected Persons Procedure for details.

Progress in implementing aims of Care Plan considered at first Looked After Review, with a view to incorporating timescales for achieving Permanence for child by second Looked After Review at latest, and including Contingency Plan if Permanence not achieved by third Looked After Review.  Consideration of Parallel Planning required.

Looked After Reviews Procedure

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

See Health Assessments and Health Care Plans Procedure

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.

As soon as possible, and before second Looked After Review at the latest, Permanence Plan to be implemented for child. Consult with the Adoption and Permanency Team. Contingency Plan' (if Permanence Plan not achieved by third Looked After Review) and, where appropriate, Parallel Planning.

Looked After Reviews Procedure

Permanence Planning Procedure

Where rehabilitation plan not implemented by third Looked After Review, implement Contingency Plan.

Looked After Review Procedure

Permanence Planning Procedure

Personal Adviser appointed and Pathway Plan drawn up and reviewed. 

See Leaving the Looked After Service Procedure

Transitions Planning completed.

Protocol for Children who have Learning Disabilities in Transition to Adult Services