1.3.2 Looked After Reviews

Contents

1.	Purpose of Looked After Reviews
2.	Summary of Timescales and Responsibilities
	2.1	Timescales
	2.2	Local Authority/Social Worker Responsibilities
	2.3	Continuum Group Responsibilities
3.	The Role of the Independent Reviewing Officer (IRO)
4.	Guidance for Staff Preparing Reviews

1. Purpose of Looked After Reviews

Looked After Reviews are convened by the Placing Authority. The purpose of Looked After Reviews is to review the Care Plan for Looked After Children and 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. In exceptional circumstances s/he can refer the child’s case to CAFCASS.

To this end the child may require assistance from Advocacy or Independent Visitor (see Advocacy and Independent Visitors Procedure). 

2. Summary of Timescales and Responsibilities

2.1 Timescales

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.

Under normal circumstances Looked After Reviews should normally be convened at the following intervals:

• an Initial Looked After Review should be conducted within 20 days of the child being Looked After or a change of placement such that the Care Plan is no longer appropriate;
• 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 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.

2.2 Local Authority/Social Worker Responsibilities     

1. Looked After Reviews are normally chaired by an Independent Reviewing Officer (IRO).
2. Each authority will have it’s own procedures on who should be invited, but it is normal for the child, the child’s Parents and all key professionals involved in assisting in the implementation of the Care Plan to be invited; invitations must be sent out at least 10 days before the Review. The Manager should take all reasonable steps to consult with all parties and should make every effort to arrange reviews at places and times which provide a relaxed atmosphere for those attending.
3. 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. 
4. The Independent Reviewing Officer (IRO) must meet the Child before his/her first Looked After Review.
5. The Review will consider the extent to which the aims and objectives of the Care Plan and associated Personal Education Plan 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.
6. It will also be necessary for the child’s Care Programme to be reviewed to ensure it continues to meet the needs of the Care and associated plans. If possible, the amended Care Programme, or a summary of it, should be formulated and signed by the Young Person, Parent(s), Social Worker and others referred to in it.
7. 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 Care Programme. The Independent Reviewing Officer (IRO)should remind the Social Worker that this is necessary, if not, the Manager should do so.
8. 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.
9. Within 10 working days, the social worker must update the Care Plan and (re)circulate it.
10. 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.

2.3 Continuum Group Responsibilities

See Section 3, Guidance for Staff Preparing for Reviews

If Looked After Reviews are not arranged or conducted in line with these procedures, the Manager should initially raise his/her concerns with the Social Worker.  If matters are not resolved, the Resource Manager should consult his/her own Line Manager with a view to raising concerns with senior Managers within the Local Authority or, in exceptional circumstances, by way of a referral to CAFCASS.

1. The Manager should consult the young person’s Social Worker to ensure that the arrangements above are made.
2. The Manager must ensure that a full report is written at least 2 weeks prior to the review date. Each home/service has it’s own format for the production of this report.

Normally the Keyworker is responsible for completing the report, but the Manager may allocate the task to another person.

The young people must be consulted in the formulation of the report, and should either contribute to it or prepare his/her own report.  If it appears necessary, an Advocate or Independent person should be asked to support/assist the child. See Advocacy and Independent Visitors Procedure).

3. In time for the review, the home should arrange for an up to date Care Programme to be available demonstrating what arrangements exist to meet the child’s needs.  It may be necessary to conduct a Care Programme Review prior to or soon after the Looked After Review. The home should also produce a report of the work undertaken since the child’s placement or the last Looked After Review. 
4. The Manager, Keyworker or a delegated person should attend the review, and should keep notes of significant decisions or recommendations.
5. If reviews are not conducted in accordance with regulations, Staff should ask for these matters to be noted within the minutes.

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. Guidance for Staff Preparing for Reviews

Best practice requires that young people have regular reviews, especially early in a placement, and then at regular intervals thereafter. The responsibility of calling reviews is firmly with the responsible Social Worker, and contracting social services department.

That is not to say though that the company cannot request a review if it believes that there is a need to reassess the programme of the young person, or that their requirements have significantly changed. In any case, the guidance for calling the review will be in the contract documentation issued with the placement, and that document has primacy.

When going to the review it is important that the Staff team are clear about what they want to say, that all records are in good order and that any suggestions or requests are backed up by firm evidence.

The young person is, as far as is feasible, to be involved in the review process before, during and after the meeting and should be assisted to contribute his/her views and wishes fully.

It is at the review that the future of the placement and the direction of the young person will be determined. The Staff team, including the young person’s key worker, should ensure that all relevant information and specifically the achievements of the young person are presented at the review.

When necessary, the registered Manager contacts the placing authorities to request emergency and statutory reviews when due for a child if the Placing Authority has not arranged the review.

We have a duty of care to make sure that what is reported is accurate, and that the best outcome is achieved for the individual, even if this means that an alternative programme has to be devised. In order that accuracy of reporting is maintained, the Staff team should minute the review meeting and record the results of the review in the young person’s file. It is important that individuals responsible for pursuing actions at the home are clearly identified.

It is a requirement that the home obtains a copy of the result of the review from the Placing Authority. If there is a delay in receiving this, then the required information will need to be requested and followed up. The copy of the review is placed in the young person’s file.

Written copies of the reviews are also made available to young people, and they are assisted to understand them and store them safely.

It is important that when young people are reviewed that all present have access to accurate and timely information. The young person has the right to expect that all information given by the company will be accurate, and that personal likes or dislikes will not enter into the judgements made. If there are personal feelings one way or the other, these should be explained to the meeting.

End