1.2.2 Pre and Post Placement Procedure

Contents

1. Pre Placement Procedures 
2. Post Placement Arrangements and Notifications
3. Social Worker Visits

1. Pre Placement Procedures

This guidance summarises the responsibilities of the Placing Authority/Social Worker prior to the referral/placement being agreed.

Procedures in individual local authorities may differ but the following summarises the key responsibilities that Social Workers have prior to making a referral for a placement.

1.1 Consultation

At the point when it is determined that a placement may be required, and throughout the subsequent process of identification, planning and placement, the Social Worker must consult and take 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.

1.2 Plan and Records that should be provided by the Social Worker/Placing Authority

This section should be read in conjunction with Integrated Children's System Guidance.

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.

The Care Plan should demonstrate that the child’s needs will be satisfied by the proposed placement.  The Care Plan should be completed before the child is placed, 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 also draw up a Placement Information Record before the placement starts, or within 14 days of the placement.  These plans should inform the home's Care Programme/Agreement, drawn up by the Manager.

The Social Worker should also provide the following:

A copy of the Child's Chronology

• The Child's Personal Education Plan;
• If appropriate, the Child's Pathway Plan;
• The Child's Healthcare Plan.

Other Plans/Records: See Section 2.2 Continuum Group Responsibilities

1.3 Approval of the Plan to Place a Child

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.

2. Post Placement Arrangements and Notifications

For Continuum Group Arrangements see Section 2.2 Continuum Group Responsibilities

2.1 Social Worker Responsibilities

The following guidance summarises the notifications which should be made by the Social Worker/Placing Authority.  The Resource/Home Manager should liaise with the Social Worker to ensure these tasks are undertaken.

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:

1. 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.
2. The Health Trust
3. The Local Education Authority within 10 days of the placement starting
4. The Children's Services 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 Resource/Home Manager to arrange contact with the young person. 

2.2   Continuum Group Responsibilities

Once the child is placed, the Manager should ensure the following arrangements are made:

• That a Care Programme/Agreement is drawn up. 
• Liaise with the Social Worker to ensure the child’s Parents are notified of placement and arrangements made for contact. 
  
  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 Care Programme.

• Arrange the child’s first Care Programme Review/Emergency Review: If the child is placed in a Children’s Home on an unplanned or Emergency basis, an Emergency Review must be conducted within three working days (see Planning and Disruption Meetings Procedure). If a young person is placed in a Children’s Home on a planned basis, a Care Programme Review should be conducted within five working days (see Planning and Disruption Meetings Procedure)
• Liaise with the Social Worker to ensure a Looked After Review is arranged - within 28 days of the child’s placement. 
  See Looked After Reviews Procedure
• Liaise with the Social Worker to ensure the child is registered with a doctor, Dentist and Optician within 10 days of the placement starting and establish whether a Health Care Assessment is necessary and/or obtain a copy of the Child’s Health Care Plan.  If no Health Care Plan exists, the Manager must establish if there are any medical or healthcare needs that should be addressed e.g. whether the child is on medication. 
  
  See following chapters: Health Care Assessments and Health Care Plans Procedure and GPs, Dentists, Opticians, Hospitals Procedure).
• In consultation with the Social Worker, arrange for a copy of the child’s Care Plan, Placement Information Record and Chronology to be forwarded to the home.
• In consultation with the Social Worker and the Continuum Group Education Service, arrange for a copy of the child’s Personal Education Plan, any recent Individual Education Plan or, where appropriate, the young person’s Statement of Special Educational Needs to be obtained and placed on file.
• Where appropriate, obtain a copy of the child’s Pathway Plan – and details of his/her Personal Adviser, if appointed.  The Manager should contact the Personal Adviser to ensure s/he is aware of the child’s placement and arrange for the child to receive a visit.
• Arrange for the child to be given a Children’s Guide and a copy of the Placing Authorities Complaints Procedure. 

3. 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 then at specified intervals; which are set out in Social Worker Visits Procedure.

End