2.2.1 Emergency Reviews

Contents

1. Criteria of Emergency Reviews
2. Timing of Emergency Reviews
3. Arranging and Conducting Emergency Reviews
4. Who should Attend or Contribute to Emergency Reviews
5. Preparation and Chairing of the Review

1. Criteria for Emergency Reviews

An Emergency Placement is the placement of a child without the Manager (or a Line Manager) of the home and the relevant social worker agreeing that it is suitable. 

2. Timing of Emergency Review

Emergency Reviews should be conducted within 3 working days of the placement; however, in exceptional circumstances, e.g. Bank Holidays, these timescales may be extended. 

This is a maximum timescale, the urgency of the situation may dictate that the timescales should be shorter.

3. Arranging and Conducting Emergency Reviews

Emergency Reviews will normally be arranged by the manager of the home, who should act as the chairperson.  This responsibility may be delegated to a member of staff.

The review must be conducted in the form of a meeting (previously meetings could be conducted over the telephone but this is no longer acceptable).

See Section 5.1, Chairperson Responsibilities during the Review; additional guidance is provided in Children's Reviews Procedure.

4. Who Should Attend or Contribute to Emergency Reviews

The people listed below should contribute to the Emergency Review.

See Chairperson Responsibilities; additional guidance is provided in Children's Reviews Procedure.

The people who should contribute are:

1. The child's social worker
2. The child
3. The child's parents
4. If placed in a foster home, the foster carer(s) and a family placement worker/social worker
5. The child's Link Worker, if known, or a member of staff

5. Preparation and Chairing of Emergency Reviews

Additional detailed guidance on preparation and chairing of reviews is contained in Children's Reviews Procedure.

Before the review, the chairperson should attempt to collate relevant documentation, such as Risk Assessment/Referral records, Placement Plans/Placement Information Records, Essential Information Records/Chronologies, a Care Plan, Pathway Plan, and other relevant background information about the child.

5.1 Chairperson responsibilities during the review

Additional detailed guidance on preparation and chairing of reviews is contained in Children's Reviews Procedure.

The overall purpose of the Emergency Review is to consider whether the placement is suitable for the child; having regard for the child and the other children in the placement.

The views of the child, parents and others should be accounted for; but the decision should be made by the social worker and Manager or chairperson.

The matters which should be considered are:

1. The likely appropriateness of the placement in meeting the child's needs, as set out in the Care Plan or Pathway Plan in the context of the Statement of Purpose for the home.
2. Whether the placement of the child  may adversely affect any other children in the placement;

If there is a view that the placement is suitable or that additional support is required to make it suitable, the Castle Care Placement Plan should be updated to reflect this decision.

It is essential that the manager obtain relevant consents to emergency medical care/treatment before the meeting is concluded.

If there are concerns that the placement is not suitable, even with additional support, consideration should be given to the following:

1. The child remaining in the placement until a more suitable placement can be found; in which case, the Placement Plan should be updated to reflect this decision.
2. The immediate ending of the placement, in which case no Placement Plan is necessary.

If the Placement Plan can not be completed sufficient to sustain the child until the first Looked After Review, the chairperson must arrange for a Placement Plan Review to occur within 7 days so that the plan can be completed.

If this is necessary, the chairperson must agree what further information is required in time for the Placement Plan Review.

End