1.3.6 Allocation of Work and Transfer Between Teams - Transfer Policy

PURPOSE

This Transfer Policy aims to define the remit of each Childcare Social Work Team within Children’s Social Care.

Principles of Transfer
Referral Criteria Multi-Agency Screening Service (Mass) and the First Response Team (FRT)
Transfer Panel
Transfer Process
Transfer Criteria to the Sunrise Team
Transfer Criteria to the CP Court Teams
Transfer Criteria to the Cared for Children Teams
Transfer Criteria to the Disabled Children's Team
Transfer Criteria Youth Offending Team
Post Transfer

Appendix 1: Transfer Summary

1. Principles of Transfer

Case transfer arrangements should be predicated on the promotion of a child/family’s best interests, clarity of case management responsibility, continuity of service provision, effectiveness of multi agency communication and consultation with Service Users.

When a case meets the criteria for Transfer, it must be accepted, regardless of staffing issues.

A family will receive a Service from one Team and one social worker with case holding responsibility, unless the child or young person meets the criteria for the CFST Team or if the child is receiving a service from the FRT, CP or CIC Teams and there are CSE issues. For these children effective co-working arrangements and lead social worker responsibility should be established.

Cases should not be transferred when the family are in crisis, e.g. when a Court application is imminent. The transfer should be affected as soon as the crisis has abated.

Families and professionals should be involved in the Transfer process and advised in writing, by the Sending Team, once the Transfer has been affected, with details of the new staffing arrangements and contact details.

Receiving Teams will be fully prepared prior to Transfer to ensure that staff are able to safely manage the case once transferred. For this to happen, all assessments and LAC documentation must be completed by the Sending Team. Files should be up to date and administrative tasks (Liquid Logic) completed. A Transfer Summary must be completed (see Appendix 1: Transfer Summary) and a joint visit should be facilitated between the sending and receiving social workers.

The process of Transfer is the most vulnerable time for children and their families so clarity of management responsibility must be secured at all times. Service provision by the Sending Team should not be disrupted during the Transfer Process.

All Teams will keep a record of cases transferred to and from their Team, including those transferring outside the Borough boundaries into another Local Authority area.

The needs/risks to children should not be compromised by professional difficulties in managing the Transfer process and it is expected that Heads of Service will adjudicate expediently in these circumstances.

2. Referral Criteria Multi-Agency Screening Service (Mass) and the First Response Team (FRT)

The aims of the MASS is to provide a more consistent, timely and unified multi-agency response to individual situations relating to welfare and safeguarding concerns to children and young people. The intent is to improve the quality of information sharing between agencies in order that decision making can be both timely and appropriate.

Main function of the MASS: -

To screen all requests for a service to ensure that an appropriate and timely response is delivered to the child and their family / carers;
The MASS Practice Manager will co-ordinate the involvement of MASS colleagues using professional expertise and agency information to determine the most appropriate response, i.e. whether the child and their family require the intervention of a universal, targeted or specialist service;
Cases that are deemed to require an immediate referral to Early Help Services will be transferred to the designated Early Help Work Tray. The Early Help Advisor will then take responsibility to ensure the appropriate service and support is given;
The MASS will offer advice and support, act as a ‘broker’ on behalf of the referrer to access the necessary agency response in order to avoid delay;
All requests for a Children’s Social Care Service that are accepted will be progressed to referral. All referrals will be allocated within the MASS to the First Response team social workers located within the service as per the established rota basis;
The MASS and First Response Practice Managers will ensure allocation and the timeliness of Children’s Social Care response, in accordance with Working Together 2013 guidelines;
Cases that require further enquiries to determine their level of risk/need will be allocated to a First Response Social Worker to co-ordinate multi-agency enquiries to inform decision making regarding next steps.

Cases will be referred to the FRT when the following criteria are met:

All new assessments from children, families and professionals;
All re-referrals for a Social Work Service over three months following closure;
Notifications in relation to criminal incidents involving children and young people who are not known to the Child Protection and Cared for Children teams, domestic violence incidents, private law referrals direct from the Court and access to files;
Step Parent Adoptions;
Children in Need (Level 4 and 5 on the Continuum of Need);
Homeless and vulnerable.

3. Transfer Panel

The purpose of the Transfer Panel is to facilitate the smooth transfer of cases from the FRT, Child protection/Court and other teams including CWD by tracking progress of cases through the system, ensuring Head of Service oversight and continued case responsibility during the transfer process.

The Transfer Panel will facilitate clarification of ongoing assessments, risks, the legal situation and the plan for the child.
The Transfer Panel is held on a weekly basis and will be attended by FRT, CP Court Team, Cared for Children, CWD and Out of Hours Teams.
Decisions made at the Panel will be final decisions which will have the needs of children and young people at the centre.
The Head of Service for CP and Care Proceedings will Chair the Transfer Panel and records of decisions made will be recorded by the designated business support officer. Held in room F6.
The FRT need to ensure that all case files meet the minimum standards for Transfer.
The Receiving Managers and admin will undertake an audit of the file and identify any remedial actions which need to be completed by FRT.
A random sample of cases will be audited by the Head of Service to ensure compliance.
Disagreements about any assessments/plans/practice should be referred to the Head of Service responsible; they will review the case and make a transfer decision based on sound social work practice.

4. Transfer Process

Pre Transfer

The FRT will:

Notify the Receiving Team that a child may meet the criteria for Transfer as soon as this is known (when an ICPCC has been booked, when a child becomes Looked After and when Care Proceedings are initiated). Ongoing communication as to the status and likelihood of Transfer is essential if the Receiving Team is to be afforded the opportunity to prepare for Transfer;
The case to be added to the Transfer Panel list no later than Wednesday 12 midday preceding Friday’s Panel. This is to allow sufficient time for the Receiving Team to read the documents;
Ensure that all actions agreed in any Assessments/Plans have been completed;
Ensure the file is up to date (incl. chronology);
The FRT Practice Manager to quality assure the file;
Complete a Transfer Summary (see Appendix 1: Transfer Summary) which is informative, includes significant dates and actions to be taken;
Ensure that ICS is updated and that dates for the start, target and end dates of all Assessments and Plans completed are inputted;
All Assessments and Plans must be signed off by the Practice Manager and be completed to a good standard;
Prepare the child and family for transfer of worker.

5. Transfer Criteria to the Sunrise Team

All cases that require statutory intervention will be held by the First Response, CP Court or Care for Children Teams. Sunrise will support work on these teams by providing advice and support to YP and their families, social work and support staff. This will ensure that the needs of all children are supported.

6. Transfer Criteria to the CP Court Teams

The role of the CP Court Teams is to ensure that children, young people and their family, who are assessed as needing a Social Work Service in the medium to long term, are provided with planned and focussed services that meet their needs.

Cases will be referred to these Teams when the following criteria have been met:

Children in Need of Protection will transfer at first Core Group or directly from another Local Authority at transfer case conference;
Children subject to Interim Orders (under the Children Act 1989);
A child or young person who is in voluntary accommodation;
When an assessment concludes that a child due to be born, or has been born is being relinquished for adoption;
Where children/young people have been removed within 2 years and the mother is pregnant, the Court CP Team will assume responsibility for the pre birth risk assessment/care planning and ongoing Services. The only exception is if the mother has moved to a new area, in which case a referral to the new area will be made by the team who have knowledge of the case;
Where the Court have instructed the LA to undertake an SGO assessment;
Following notification and assessment of a Private Fostering placement;
All re-referrals previously open to CP and Care Proceedings that have closed within a 3 month period, where it has been ascertained that the threshold has been met for further social work involvement. Discussion to be had on a case by case basis between the FRT/MASS Practice Manager and CP and Care Proceedings Practice Manager to ensure that the referral and any agreed actions are responded to in a timely manner.

7. Transfer Criteria to the Cared for Children Teams

The Cared for Children Service is responsible for the allocation of a named Social Worker for looked after children where the agreed and IRO-endorsed plan for permanency is that the child will remain long term looked after.

Looked after children with a plan for adoption, SGO or where they are placed with parents will remain with the allocated worker in the CP Court Service.

Post 16

Upon a child turning 16 a Personal Advisor will be identified by the allocated Practice Manager. The expectation is the Personal Advisor will be the named Personal Advisor from within their Team. However should there be any difficulty in securing this, the request to consider a Personal Advisor from one of the other 2 Teams will be discussed at the weekly transfer meeting.
Following completion of the pathway assessment – due within three months of the child turning 16, the Personal Advisor will be introduced to the young person and their role will be described and any tasks in respect of the plan will be agreed.
The named Personal Advisor will attend the child’s looked after Review meetings and be included in any other key meetings regarding the plan. This should provide a basis for transfer to Personal Advisor upon the young person turning 18.
Looked after children managed by CWD and who are eligible under Children Leaving Care Act (2000) will be identified by CWD Team prior to the age 16. Allocation of named Personal Advisor will be discussed at the Transfer meeting and named Personal Advisor provided by the time the young person is 16 years and 3 months. The expectation is the allocated social worker will ensure the named Personal Advisor is included and invited to all looked after reviews and all key meetings regarding the pathway plan, including where relevant the transition to Adult Services.

8. Transfer Criteria to the Disabled Children's Team

Where a child has been assessed by the First Response team as needing long term service under Section 17 and that child has a disability the case will pass to the CWDT at a transfer meeting. CWDT will have notification that there attendance is required at the meeting held on a Friday morning.

If the CWDT have open cases that require transfer to the CP Court or Cared for Children they will book the case onto the transfer panel and it will be discussed for allocation and timeliness of this.

If the CWDT have concerns that warrant a legal gateway meeting they will book the case onto the weekly slot held every Tuesday afternoon. Heads of Service who hold responsibility for court work will discuss the case and the likely outcome. Legal will give advice. No case will transfer before all work by the holding social worker is complete and plans in place in relation to the disability element.

If a case is to be made subject to care proceedings the case will be held by the CWDT until the first hearing, however there may be joint work before this point in some circumstances.

9. Transfer Criteria Youth Offending Team

The Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act, defines all Children under the age of 18yrs, who have been refused bail by the Court as LAC. As such the LA has responsibility to manage the case not only in line with the Youth Justice Board National Standards and Case Management Guidelines, but also in line with Care Planning, Placement and Case Review (England) Regulations 2010.

Children who are remanded into Local Authority Accommodation and/or Youth Detention Accommodation are therefore defined as LAC.

Where the case is open to CSC:

The YOT Court officer will establish what the objections to bail are from the CPS, assess the child using Bail ASSET, and propose a bail package to Court where appropriate. In undertaking this the YOT Court Officer will establish who is the designated authority in respect of the child;
Where the child is the responsibility of Rochdale, the YOT Court Officer will inform the allocated Social Worker, of the Courts decision. The allocated Social Worker will amend the status of the child on ICS as appropriate, to reflect the RILAA;
The allocated YOT Social Worker will convene a Placement Planning Meeting within three days, and formulate a Care Plan;
The Social Worker will inform the SCU so an Independent Reviewing Officer is allocated.

Where the child is not known to CSC:

The YOT Court officer will establish what the objections to bail are from the CPS, assess the child using Bail ASSET, and propose a bail package to Court where appropriate;
The YOT Court/Duty manager will allocate the case to a YOT Social Worker as a LAC;
The allocated YOT Social Worker will amend the status of the child on ICS as appropriate, to reflect the RILAA, convene a planning meeting and inform SCU so an independent Reviewing Officer is allocated;
The YOT allocated Social Worker will e-mail the designated admin worker to add the case to the transfer list to be discussed at the CSC Transfer Meeting after ten working days. At the point of the LAC review the case will be transferred to the relevant Cared for Children Team.

10. Post Transfer

The Receiving Team will assume case responsibility once a joint visit has taken place and all remedial actions have been completed by the Sending Team.

The Receiving Team will transfer case responsibility on ICS to a named Social Worker.

The named Social Worker must be allocated the case on the same day of Transfer. There must be no gap in Service provision.

The Receiving Team Manager will summarise the current family situation, the risks and immediate actions that need to be taken before responsibility for the case is given to the named Social Worker.

The protocol must be used flexibly and with discretion between services in order to provide high quality services for children and families. Transfer of cases will require professional judgement, assessment, cooperation and effective communication between dedicated team managers and their teams they manage.

Appendix 1: Transfer Summary

Click here to see the Transfer Summary.

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