2.2.3 Looked After Reviews

Contents

1. Purpose of Looked After Reviews
2. Frequency and Arranging Looked After Reviews
3. Role of the Independent Reviewing Officer (IRO)
4. The Home’s Arrangements for Looked After Reviews

1. Purpose of Looked After Reviews

The purpose of Looked After (Statutory) Reviews is to examine the work undertaken with the child, ensure that adequate plans are in place to safeguard and promote the child's welfare and make recommendations or representations on behalf of the child.

It is not the role of the Looked After Review to make decisions about children, that is the responsibility of the social worker.

However, where the Independent Reviewing Officer (IRO), or another person, including the child, is concerned about delay in implementation of the Care Plan or that recommendations have not been incorporated appropriately, he or she may take this up with the relevant manager or provider. To this end the child may require assistance from an Advocate or Independent Visitor (see Advocacy and Independent Visitors Procedure). In exceptional circumstances, a review date may be brought forward.

2. Frequency and Arranging Looked After Reviews

1.	Looked After Reviews must take place: before any significant change is made to the child’s Care Plan, unless that is not reasonably practicable; before a decision is taken to cease looking after a child; for children who are looked after as a result of a secure remand; before an Eligible Young Person moves into semi-independent accommodation, a Looked After Review must be held and evaluate the quality of the assessment of the young person’s readiness and preparation to move. In the light of these requirements (above), Home’s Managers should consider consulting the Independent reviewing Officer (IRO) for any child where the Placing Authority is considering changing a child’s placement on an unplanned basis; or must ensure that the IRO is consulted where the Home’s Manager is considering ceasing, ending or changing the placement.
2.	Under normal circumstances, Looked After Reviews should be convened at the following intervals: An Initial Looked After Review should be conducted within 20 days of the child being Looked After; The 2nd Looked After Review should be conducted within three months of an Initial Looked After Review; Subsequent Looked After Review should be conducted not more than six months after any previous review. These are maximum timescales; Looked After Reviews can be convened sooner if consideration is being given to ending or changing the child’s placement or the urgency of the case determines they should be e.g. the child’s social worker  assesses that the child’s welfare is not being adequately safeguarded and promoted. In the case of children under 5, it is good practice to review the Care Plan more frequently and, if practicable, every 3 months.
3.	Looked After Reviews are normally chaired by an Independent Reviewing Officer (IRO).
4.	Arrangements, including the setting of dates and invitations, are normally made by the Reviewing Officer in consultation with the social worker. The Manager of the home should take all reasonable steps to be consulted too. Each authority will have its own procedures on who should be invited, but invitations must be sent out at least 10 days before the Review and the child, the child's parents and all key professionals involved in assisting in the implementation of the Care Plan to be invited.
5.	The social worker is normally responsible for informing, consulting and preparing the child at least 20 days before the review; but home's staff should assist as far as they can in this process and should ensure that children are properly informed and prepared. To this end, the child must be encouraged to contribute to any report prepared by the home. If the child wishes, s/he should be assisted in preparing his/her own contribution.
6.	Staff should be mindful that the child may wish to or may benefit from being supported by an Advocate or, if appointed, an Independent Visitor (see Advocacy and Independent Visitors Procedure).
7.	In time for the review, or beforehand if required, the home should arrange for an up to date Placement Plan to be available demonstrating what arrangements exist to meet the child's needs. The home should also produce a report of the work undertaken since the child's placement or the last Looked After Review. Teaching staff should produce a report of the child's educational attainments and progress.
8.	The Independent Reviewing Officer (IRO) must meet the Child before his/her first Looked After Review.
9.	The Review will consider the extent to which the aims and objectives of the Care Plan and associated Personal Education Plan (PEP) and, if relevant, Pathway Plan have been achieved. At the second and subsequent Reviews, the review must consider whether there is a suitable Permanence Plan in place.
10.	It will also be necessary for the child's Placement Plan to be reviewed to ensure it continues to meet the needs of the Care and associated plans.
11.	After the Review the social worker is responsible for updating and circulating the Care Plan, Personal Education Plan (PEP) and, if appropriate, the Pathway Plan. The Manager of the home is responsible for updating and circulating the child's Placement Plan.
12.	The Independent Reviewing Officer (IRO) normally prepares and circulates a record of the decisions and recommendations within 5 working days, a full record within 15 working days and a full record including decisions within 20 working days of the Review.
13.	Within 10 working days, the social worker must update the Care Plan and (re)circulate it.
14.	If the IRO has concerns about the child’s case e.g. that the Care Plan is not being properly progressed, s/he has a duty to report this to CAFCASS.

3. Role of the Independent Reviewing Officer (IRO)

Under the Care Planning, Placement and Case Review (England) Regulations 2010, the role of the Independent Reviewing Officer (IRO) has substantially changed, in essence, the IRO has a responsibility to monitor the child’s case in between Looked After Reviews.

For example:

• The IRO should be notified within 2 working days of a child becoming Looked After;
• Children should be told who their IRO is and how to make contact with him/her;
• The IRO must be consulted before a child is placed outside the area where the child normally lives;
• The IRO should be notified and consulted if a child persistently absents him/herself or has been missing from the home;
• Children have a right to contact their IRO if they are concerned about their placement or Care Plan.

Home’s managers should be aware of these wider responsibility and should ensure that children are informed of their right to consult or notify the IRO; and Home’s Managers should also consult the IRO if they are concerned about the child’s placement.

4. The Home’s Arrangements for Looked After Reviews

To Follow

End