Contents


Quick Links:
This contents list is sub divided into the following sections, each Section contains relevant Chapters/Procedures: (Click on the title to jump to the Section you require):

  1. All Children
  2. Children with Specific Needs
  3. Court Proceedings and Legal Planning
  4. Looked After Children
  5. Fostering and Adoption
  6. Case Management and Recording
  7. Contacts, List of Agency Decision Makers and Appendices


1. All Children

1.1

Policy, Values and Principles

  
1.1.1 Children's Services Policies, Values and Principles  
1.1.2 Children's Consultation and Participation  
1.1.3 Equality and Diversity Protocol  


 

1.2

Early Help and Thresholds for Children's Social Care Services

  
1.2.1 Early Help Assessment Framework (Previously CAF)  
1.2.2 Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH)  
1.2.3 Bracknell Forest Safeguarding Children Partnership Threshold Guidance  
1.2.4 Capacity and Consent Updated


 

1.3

Children's Social Care - Assessment and Planning

  
1.3.1 Contacts and Referrals  
1.3.2 Assessments  
1.3.3 Referral, Assessment, Planning and Decision Making for Children in Need Procedures - Local Protocol for Assessment  
1.3.4 Child Protection Enquiries (Section 47)  
1.3.5 Family Workers  
  See also: Bracknell Forest Safeguarding Board Procedures  


 

1.4

Child in Need

  
1.4.1 Child in Need Plans and Reviews  
1.4.2 Aftercare under Section 117 of the Mental Health Act 1983 Updated


 

1.5

Complaints and Whistleblowing

  
1.5.1 Complaints and Representations  
1.5.2 Whistleblowing  


 

1.6

Notifications

  
1.6.1 Death or Serious Injury to a Child (Looked After and Child in Need)  


2. Children with Specific Needs

2.1 Children and Young People Aged 0-25 with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Updated
2.2 Direct Payments  
2.3 Short Breaks  
2.4 Placing and Visiting Children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities or Health Conditions in Long-Term Residential Settings  
2.5 Deprivation of Liberty  
2.6 Mental Capacity  
2.7 Unaccompanied Migrant Children and Child Victims of Trafficking and Modern Slavery Updated
2.8 Families with No Recourse to Public Funds Updated
2.9 Prevention of Homelessness and Provision of Accommodation for 16 and 17 Year Olds who may be Homeless and/or Require Accommodation; and Duty to Refer  
2.10 Private Fostering  
2.11 Young Carers  
2.12 Relinquished Children  


3. Court Proceedings and Legal Planning

3.1 Applications for Emergency Protection Orders  
3.2 Care and Supervision Proceedings and the Public Law Outline Updated
3.3 Legal Gateway/Planning Meetings  
3.4 Court Reports in Placement Order Applications and Adoption/Special Guardianship Guidance  
3.5 Protocol and Good Practice Model: Disclosure of Information in Cases of Alleged Child Abuse and Linked Criminal and Care Direction Hearings (October 2013)  
3.6 Cross-border Child Protection Cases: The 1996 Hague Convention  
3.7 Family Justice Resource Hub (ADCS) - This hosts a series of practical resources, such as templates, tools and practice guidance, which will be of interest to those working in the family justice system.  


4. Looked After Children

4.1

Decision to Look After and Care Planning

  
4.1.1 Sufficiency Strategy for Children Looked After and Care Leavers  
4.1.2 Decision to Look After Updated
4.1.3 Care Planning  
4.1.4 Applications for Special Guardianship Orders  
4.1.5 Early Permanence: Fostering for Adoption, Concurrent Planning and Temporary Approval as Foster Carers of Approved Prospective Adopters Updated
4.1.6 Reunification of a Child to Parental Care  
4.1.7 Permanence Planning  
4.1.8 Planning for Permanency: an Overarching Strategy for Children's Services in Bracknell Forest  
4.1.9 Disruption Meeting for Children Looked After  
4.1.10 Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority Claims for Looked After Children  
4.1.11 Risk Assessment and Planning  
4.1.12 Providing Personalised Care  
4.1.13 NICE Guideline: Looked After Children and Young People  


 

4.2

Placements

  
4.2.1 Placements with Parents  
4.2.2 Placements with Connected Persons  
4.2.3 Placements in Foster Care  
4.2.4 Placements in Residential Care Updated
4.2.5 Placements in Secure Accommodation on Welfare Grounds Updated
4.2.6 Out of Area Placements  
4.2.7 Placements Outside England and Wales  
4.2.8 Placements in Other Arrangements  
4.2.9 Notifications from Other Local Authorities/Placement Providers  
4.2.10 Delegation of Authority to Foster Carers and Residential Workers  
4.2.11 Health and Safety Updated


 

4.3

Monitoring and Reviews

  
4.3.1 Social Worker Visits to Looked After Children  
4.3.2 Provision of Children's Advocacy  
4.3.3 Provision of Independent Visitors for Children Looked After  
4.3.4 Looked After Reviews  
4.3.5 Appointment and Role of Independent Reviewing Officers  
4.3.6 Secure Accommodation (Criteria) Reviews  
4.3.7 Notifications of Significant Events  


 

4.4

Education, School Trips, Holidays, Contact and Overnight Stays

  
4.4.1 Supporting the Education and Promoting the Achievement of Children with a Social Worker, Looked After and Previously Looked After Children New
4.4.2 Holidays and School Trips In and Outside the UK  
4.4.3 Family Time with Parents/Adults and Siblings  
4.4.4 Social Visits (Including Overnight Stays)  


 

4.5

Health and Wellbeing

  
4.5.1 Health Care Assessments and Plans  
4.5.2 Personal Care and Relationships  
4.5.3 Positive Relationships and Behaviour Management  
4.5.4 Restrictive Physical Intervention and Restraint  


 

4.6

Looked After Children Other

  
4.6.1 Life Story Books Guidance  
4.6.2 Later Life Letters  
4.6.3 Change of Name of a Looked After Child  
4.6.4 Marriage/Civil Partnership of a Looked After Child  


 

4.7

Leaving Care and Transition

  
4.7.1 Leaving Care and Transition  
4.7.2 Staying Put  


 

4.8

Youth Offending

  
  See also: Children Involved in the Youth Justice System Additional National Guidance  
4.8.1 Looked After Children and Young People in Contact with Youth Justice Services  
4.8.2 Remands to Local Authority Accommodation or to Youth Detention Accommodation  
4.8.3 Responsibilities of the Local Authority to Former Looked After Children and Young People in Custody  
4.8.4 Risk, Safety and Wellbeing Management Policy and Guidance  
4.8.5 Safeguarding Policy  
4.8.6 Caretaking and Transfer Policy  
4.8.7 Enforcement of Statutory Court Orders  
4.8.8 Resettlement Policy  


5. Fostering and Adoption

5.1

Fostering Services

  
5.1.1 Fostering Panel Updated
5.1.2 Persons Disqualified from Fostering  
5.1.3 Assessment and Approvals of Foster Carers  
5.1.4 Assessment and Approval of Connected Person Foster Carers New
5.1.5 Exemptions and Extensions/Variations to Foster Carer Approval  
5.1.6 Supervision and Support of Foster Carers Updated
5.1.7 Review and Termination of Approval of Foster Carers  
5.1.8 Allegations Against Foster Carers  
5.1.9 Training and Development of Foster Carers  
5.1.10 Disability Living Allowance Policy for Foster Carers and Children Looked After New
5.1.11 Out of Hours Support for Foster Carers and the Children They Look After New
  See also: Bracknell Forest Foster Carers Handbook  


 

5.2

Adoption

  
  Adopt Thames Valley is a regional adoption agency (RAA). It is a partnership of seven local authorities which includes Bracknell Forest and one voluntary adoption agency across Berkshire, Oxfordshire and the Swindon area working together to recruit and support a range of adopters, and find forever families for children both locally in our care and nationally.  


6. Case Management and Recording

6.1 Case Recording  
6.2 Case Records and Retention  
6.3 Access to Records / Subject Access Requests  
6.4 Confidentiality Policy  
6.5 Electronic Recording of Meetings and Conversations  
6.6 Use of Social Media Sites by Social Care and Safeguarding Staff  
6.7 Storage of Data on Mobile Devices  


7. Contacts, List of Agency Decision Makers and Appendices

7.1 Scheme of Delegation Updated
7.2 Working Together to Safeguard Children  
7.3 Ofsted Inspection Framework New
7.4 Amendments