Quick Guide

Manual Version 7, August 2011

Contents

1. Display Options and Printing
2. Amendments and Planned Updates
3. Terminology
4. Keywords/Search
5. Compliance
6. Alerts and Suggestions
7. Copyright

1. Display Options and Printing

1.1 Display Options

People with a visual impairment may have difficulty accessing this Manual. To change the size of the text/layout - please use these accessibility buttons

which are on menu bar on the left side of every screen. Click a larger button to increase your text size, the very largest being high visibility mode.

1.2 Printing

The Manual should normally be viewed on line but can be printed, for reference only.

To print a chapter, click on the icon which is in the top right hand corner of the relevant procedure

Please note, copies may be printed for reference only, they may NOT be retained for more than 3 working days or used for any other purpose (See Section 7, Copyright).

2. Amendments and Planned Updates

This Manual was updated in; August 2011 at this time several chapters were replaced and many amended.

2.1 Amendments Table

New Chapters and Features
Chapter Name	Details
Referrals and Placements	This Chapter is new to the manual and replaces the previous Children’s Homes chapter. This chapter provides a comprehensive overview of the referral process and placement plans and responsibilities of individuals.
Absent/Missing Children	This Chapter (although the name is unchanged) has been completely revised. Under the New Children’s Homes Regulations and National Minimum Standards there have been some considerable changes to the definitions of children who are absent or missing from the home.
Restrictive Physical Intervention	This Chapter (although the name is unchanged) has been completely revised to incorporate updates emanating from the Children’s Homes Regulations and National Minimum Standards and also incorporates local procedural updates throughout.
Leaving the Home	This Chapter is new to the manual and replaces some content of the previous Children’s Homes chapter. This chapter provides an overview of responsibilities and arrangements for the transfer and discharge of children and young people from the home and gives advice on aftercare contact.
Care and Placement Plans Guidance	This is a new chapter replacing the previous 'Care Plans' chapter; and gives up-to-date guidance on the use of Care Plans and Placement Plans for individual Children and Young People.
Updated Chapters and Features
Chapter Name	Details
Planning and Disruption Meetings	This chapter has been updated to include the roles and responsibilities of the Independent Reviewing Officer (IRO).
Looked After Reviews	This chapter has been updated to include the amendments emanating from the Care Planning Regulations regarding timings of reviews and also to include roles and responsibilities of the Independent Reviewing Officer (IRO).
Health Care Assessments and Health Care Plans	This chapter has been amended to include the updates required emanating from the Care Planning Regulations regarding timings of Health Care Assessments.
Contact with Parents and Siblings	This chapter has been amended to include the updates required emanating from the Care Planning Regulations regarding considerations that should be made when placing a child.
Visitors	This chapter has been updated to include advice that visitors who are unchecked (Criminal records Bureau - CRB) must be chaperoned when on the premises.
Regulations Visits and Review	This chapter has been amended throughout to include the updates required emanating from the Care Planning Regulations.
Social Work Visits	This chapter has been amended to include the updates required emanating from the Care Planning Regulations regarding the obligation for the Social Worker to regularly visit the young person in placement.
Privacy, Personal Care, Intimate Care and Physical Relationships	This chapter has been has been updated to include clear guidance on the subject of Visiting and Sharing Bedrooms.
Advocacy and Independent Visitors	This chapter has been updated to include the roles and responsibilities of the Independent Reviewing Officer (IRO) and access to the Children’s Rights Director.
Child/Adult Protection	This chapter has been amended to include the updates required emanating from the Children’s Homes Regulations and Standards regarding the position and responsibilities of the Child Protection Manager.
Allegations Against Staff	This chapter has been amended to include the updates required emanating from the Children’s Homes Regulations and Standards regarding the position and responsibilities of the Child Protection Manager.

2.2 Planned Updates

The next planned update is February 2012.

If you wish to contribute to these updates e.g. by recommending a new procedure, amendment to an existing procedure or change to the functionality, please discuss your proposals in the first place with your manager; if your proposals are accepted, they should be passed to Angela Glynn (Angela.Glynn@continuumgroup.org.uk).

In order to be inserted in the manual, contributions must be approved and forwarded to Angela Glynn by the end of December  2011 (*re urgent updates - see last paragraph).

*Urgent updates e.g. emanating from a complaint or post title errors, can be included at any time.  Please report such urgent amends to Kevin Gallagher

3. Terminology

As far as possible, consistent terminology is used in this Manual, which means that some generic terms are used which users may not be familiar with.

Term	Definition
'Home' and 'Resource'	this is a generic term which means all homes
'Resident', 'child', 'Pupil' or 'young person'	all these terms are used, to refer to children/young people looked after by The Continuum Group.
'Staff'	means everyone employed or working in a voluntary capacity
'Manager'	means manager of a home or resource.
'Line Manager'	means the first line manager of the home/resource.  More senior managers are referred to by Post Title
'Parent'	means person(s) with Parental Responsibility
'Placing Authority' and 'Social Worker'	Placing Authority means the local authority/agency responsible for placing the child or commissioning the service (usually Children's Services - see below). Social Worker means allocated social worker or person with case responsibility (e.g. Personal Advisor for children preparing to leave care). If there is no allocated worker it means Duty Worker or Children's Services/Children's Social Care Team Manager
'Regulatory Authority'	Regulatory Authority is the generic term used in this manual to describe the independent regulatory body responsible for inspecting and regulating services e.g. CSSIW or OFSTED.
Children's Services', Children's Social Care Services'	All these terms are used in this manual. In effect they mean the same thing. In some areas, Children's Services still exist but, in most areas they have been replaced Children's Services or Children's Social Care Services - which normally provide children's social care and education services within the local authority. By the end of 2008, Children's Trusts will be established, bringing together various other agencies such as Sure Start, the Children's Fund, Connexions, behaviour and education support teams, children and Young People's strategic partnerships, and youth offending teams.
Placement Plan and Individual Crisis Management Plan(ICMP)	The term 'Placement Plan' is the generic term meaning two plans used by The Continuum Group: The Placement Plan, drawn up upon admission, or shortly afterward, summarising the arrangements for the care of the child; and the Individual Crisis Management Plan (ICMP).

4. Keywords/Search

4.1 Keywords

The manual is accessed by practitioners from varying agencies, who may find terms that they are not familiar with. Therefore, a large glossary (Keywords) of terms such as Significant Harm (Try it: click on the highlighted text). We call them 'Keywords'. Once clicked, the definitions will appear in a new window or tab, depending on your browser. You can leave it open for reference, or close it using the "close" button at the bottom.

4.2 Search

We have provided a Search function, available from the relevant button on the left hand menu bar. This will enable you to search for specific words within Chapters and Procedures including full titles and sub-sections within Chapters.

5. Compliance

5.1 Regulatory Compliance

Every effort has been taken to ensure regulatory compliance. If you discover any errors or mistakes, please alert your manager or contact us - via 'Alerts and Suggestions'.

5.2 W3C Compliance

This manual meets the double A Standards of the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), for example, it can be accessed by people with high levels of visual impairment. To find out more, click on 'Display Options' on the left hand side of the screen.

6. Alerts and Suggestions

6.1 Comments and suggestions

If you have any comments or suggestions to make about this manual please contact us by using the 'Alerts and Suggestions' button on the left hand side of the screen, from anywhere within the manual.

6.2 Alerts

If you would like to be notified when this manual is updated, register your contact details in 'Alerts and Suggestions' - on the left hand side of the screen.

7. Copyright

The content of this manual can be accessed, printed and downloaded in an unaltered form, on a temporary basis, for personal study or reference purposes. However any content printed or downloaded may not be sold, licensed, transferred, copied or reproduced in whole or in part in any manner or in or on any media to any person without the prior written consent of Tri-X-Childcare Ltd and The Continuum Group.

End