1.1.1 Referral, Matching and Placements

Contents

1. Pre-referral Responsibilities
2. Referral and Matching Process
3. Placement Process
4. Post Placement Notifications
5. Health Care
6. Social Worker Visits

1. Pre-referral Responsibilities

This guidance summarises the responsibilities of the Placing Authority/Social Worker or Commissioning Manager within the Placing Authority prior to the referral/placement being agreed. No planned placement will be accepted unless the following information/consultations have occurred/been provided.

For procedures on the Clifford House Referral, Matching and Placement processes, see: Section 2, Referral and Matching Process and Section 3, Placement Process

Procedures in individual local authorities may differ but the following summarises the key responsibilities that commissioning officers and social workers have prior to making a referral for a placement.

At the point when it is determined that a placement may be required, and throughout the subsequent process of identification, planning and placement, it is Clifford House's expectation that the social worker will have consulted and taken account of the views of the following people:

1. The child
2. The child's parents
3. Anyone who is not a parent but has been caring for or looking after the child
4. Other members of the child's family who are significant to the child
5. The child's school or education authority
6. The Youth Offending Service, if the child is known to them.

The social worker should ensure that the proposed placement is in keeping with the overall Care Plan for the child, which should be set out in writing in the Placement Plan and incorporated into the individual placement agreement unless there are exceptional circumstances which prevent this; in which case it should be completed within 14 days of the placement - some authorities have different timescales.

If a placement is approved, the social worker should ensure that a Placement Plan is drawn up before the placement starts but the responsibility for drafting the Placement Plan rests with the Manager of the Resource where the child is placed,or someone delegated to undertake this on his/her behalf.

Before a referral is made the social worker is normally required to seek authorisation from his/her manager, the social worker may also be required to make the referral via a placement service or budgetary management process. These factors must be checked by the manager.

2. Referral and Matching Process

This section summaries Clifford House procedures for Referrals and Placements. Separate procedures are provided for the movement/transfer of young people between Clifford House Resources see Transfers between Resources and Discharges Procedures

Referrals are managed by the Operations Manager.

The key functions of this system require the Operations Manager to:

• Have an overview of the current vacancies at Clifford House, both within Residential Services and Independent Fostering Agency.
• Ensure that the Referral Information that is sent to prospective purchasers is accurate and up to date regarding placement description, resource capacity figures and current fees.
• Record all placement enquiries on the Referrals Database for future reference regarding individual referrals, both current and previously referred, and to provide information on which Local Authorities are approaching Clifford House for placements.
• Gather detailed background information on each referral made, to present to the Senior Management Team for consideration against current vacancies held within the organisation (matching).
• Liaise with the Placing Social Worker regarding arrangements for Assessments to be undertaken, making sure that the Manager undertaking the assessment has full information. The Home's Manager should arrange for a Clifford House Referral Form and Assessment Pack are completed.
• Arrange and facilitate visits to Clifford House by Social Workers and other professionals.
• Ensure that all correspondence regarding placement offers is in place, funding has been agreed and an admission date has been established within the timescale required by the identified resource.
• Ensure that all contractual paperwork has been completed and returned to the Placing Authority, including sending them, if required, copies of the Statement of Purpose for the Home, a copy of the Insurance Certificate, the last Inspection report for the home and copies of the Complaints Procedure, Behaviour Management Policy and Child Protection Procedure.
• Ensure that Clifford House Finance Department are aware of the admission and have accurate placement cost information.
• Ensure that the Administrative Team have a full copy of the information gathered with an Admission Notice cover sheet to be able to set up 2 copies of the Young Persons File, one to be held centrally at the office and one for the resource (Admin. notify Education of the admission). In the case of a move of placement , Internal Transfers Sheets are completed and passed on to the Administration Team, Education and the Finance Team for amendments to be made as necessary for a young person to be discharged from Clifford House and the file archived.
• Finally make sure that the new admission is entered into the Admissions Register take out reference to discharge and put elsewhere for the discharge procedure and that when discharged this date is also entered in the register.
• The relevant local authority where the home is located needs to be notified. In Wales this includes the local health authority.

3. Placement Process

Once a suitable Resource has been identified, the manager of that Resource will liaise with the social worker to make arrangements for the young person's placement. This summarises the arrangements that are essential, but the manager should be sensitive to the individual needs of young people, their parents or other significant people and take what steps are necessary to account for their needs. Normally, the manager should liaise with the following people to ensure adequate plans and records (see below) are completed or brought up to date before the young person is placed:

• The social worker
• Parents or those with Parental Responsibility
• The young person
• Teacher/School
• Other relevant people/agencies, e.g. Personal Adviser, The Plans or records that must be brought up to date or completed by the social worker or others, and made available for the Resource Manager are:
• The young person's Care Plan and Placement Information Record (or LAC Placement Plan - if the Placing Authority still use LAC Documentation) -  the social worker is responsible for this record
• Where appropriate, the young person's Pathway Plan Consideration should be given whether a Pathway Plan should be instigated for a 14+ year old referral - the social worker or Personal Adviser is responsible for this plan
• Chronology or Essential Information Records (the latter will be used where the Placing Authority still use LAC Documentation) - the social worker is responsible for this record. If these records are not available at point of admission, the Manager must liaise with the social worker to ensure they are provided within 14 days.
• The young person's Personal Education Plan (PEP), any recent Individual Education Plan (IEP) or, where appropriate, the young person's Statement of Special Educational Needs- the social worker should obtain these plans/reports The manager of the new Resource should ensure the following forms/plans are completed or arrangements made:
• The young person's internal Placement Plan
• If possible, the manager should arrange a planning meeting before the placement and then a Placement Plan Review within 5 days. See Placement Plan Reviews/Placement Meetings Procedure
• A Behaviour Risk Assessment, which informs the Placement Plan and, if necessary, Behaviour Agreement (See Behaviour Management Procedure).
• If there is a risk that the young person may Abscond, become Missing or may Absent him/herself without authority, an Absconding Risk Assessment must be completed.
• The manager should liaise with the social worker to ensure arrangements are in place for the young person to be registered with a GP, Dentist and Optician (see General Practitioners, Dentists, Opticians and Hospital Appointments Procedure) and should liaise with the manager of the previous home to obtain information/arrangements for any medication or other healthcare arrangements and agreement for medical treatment.
• The manager of the new home should check to ensure that the young person has had a Health Care Assessment in line with procedures set out in Health Care Assessments and Health Care Plans Procedure, and liaise with the social worker as necessary if this is required.
• The manager should ensure all tasks required in the Schedule 3 Checklist have been undertaken. The manager of the new Resource should ensure the young person is provided with:
• A copy of the Clifford House Children's Guide
• A copy of the Placing Authority's Complaints Procedure

4. Post Placement Notifications

The following guidance summarises the notifications which should be made by the social worker/Placing Authority which Clifford House check have taken place. The New Resource Manager should liaise with social workers to ensure these tasks are undertaken by them. If there is doubt that these tasks will be undertaken consideration should be given to raising the matter with line managers. Notification of the placement must be sent, by the social worker, to all those consulted and involved in the decision-making process. If not consulted during the decision making process, the social worker must also notify the following:

• The service within the local authority responsible for arranging Looked After Reviews, so that the child's first Looked After Review can be arranged, within 28 days of the placement.
• The Health Trust, Local Education Authority and Social Services Department in the area where the child is placed; notifying them of the placement decision and the name and address of the person with whom the child has been placed.
• The social worker should also notify the young person's parents and significant relatives or friends, and should liaise with the New Resource Manager to arrange contact with the young person.

NOTE: No contact may be permitted between the young person and his/her parents, relatives or friends unless agreed with the social worker and set out in the young person's Placement Plan.

5. Health Care

It will necessary for the manager of the home to ensure that the following:

• That the child is allocated a Link/Keyworker who will be responsible for promoting the child's healthcare needs and liaising with health care professionals, see Linkworker Guidance.
• For the child to be registered with a GP (within 10 working days of the placement) and have access to a Dentist in the home's locality (within 20 working days of the placement); see General Practitioners, Dentists, Opticians and Hospital Appointments Procedure.
• For a Health Care Assessment to be conducted in relation to the child, within 14 working days of the child's placement; see Health Care Assessments and Health Care Plans Procedure.

6. Social Worker Visits

This guidance summarises the social worker's responsibilities in relation to visiting the child.

The child's social worker must visit the child in the placement within one week of the placement and than at specified intervals; which are set out in Social Worker Visits Procedure.

End