List of Decision Makers in Children's Services

RELATED CHAPTER

Delegation of Authority to Foster Carers and Residential Workers Procedure

NOTE

Consent to life-ending withdrawal of medical support for a child will require an application to the High Court even if all relevant parties are in agreement. Legal advice must be sought as a matter of urgency.

AMENDMENT

This chapter was updated in October 2023.

Designated Managers with Specified Area of Responsibility

Caption:designated Managers
   
Designated Managers with Specified Area of Responsibility Post Title and Contact Details

Agency Decision Maker (Adoption)

The Agency Decision Maker who makes decisions on all adoption matters (some of which will be made on the basis of a recommendation of the Adoption Panel).

Post title:

Service Director, Children's Social Care

Contact details:

01296 382053

Agency Decision Maker (Fostering)

The Agency Decision Maker who makes decisions on fostering matters (on the basis of recommendations of the Fostering Panel).

Post title:

Service Director, Children's Social Care

Contact details:

01296 382053

Designated Manager (Adoption Panel Appointments)

The manager who can authorise appointments to the Central List of Adoption Panel members.

Post title:

Head of Children's Care Services

Contact details:

01296 382303

Designated Manager (Adoption Support)

The manager who can authorise the level of adoption support to be provided to children, adopters (including financial support) and their family or birth family members.

Post title:

Head of Children's Care Services

Contact details:

01296 382303

Designated Manager (Care Plans)

The manager who can authorise the final Care Plan to be taken before the Court within Care Proceedings.

Post title:

Relevant Head of Service

Designated Manager (Care Proceedings)

The manager who can authorise the initiating of Care Proceedings.

Post title:

Head of Safeguarding

Contact details:

01296 382750

Designated Manager (Change of Name)

The manager who can authorise the change of name of a Looked After Child.

Post title:

Service Director, Children's Social Care

Contact details:

01296 382053

Designated Manager (Contact with Parents)

The manager who can authorise the suspension or termination of contact between a Looked After child and his or her parents (subject to the Court's approval after 7 days for children on Emergency Protection Orders, Interim Care Orders or Care Orders).

Post title:

Service Director, Children's Social Care

Contact details:

01296 382053

Designated Manager (Death or Serious Injury to a Child)

The senior manager who should be notified in the event of death or serious injury to a child.

Post title:

Executive Director Children's Services

Contact details:

01296 383104

Designated Manager (Decision to Look After)

The manager who can authorise a child becoming Looked After.

Post title:

Service Director, Children's Social Care

Contact details:

01296 382053

Designated Manager (Emergency Protection Orders)

The manager who can authorise an application for an Emergency Protection Order.

Post title:

Relevant Head of Service

Designated Manager (Emigration)

The manager who can authorise the placement of a Looked after child outside England and Wales.

Post title:

Executive Director Children's Services

Contact details:

01296 383104

Designated Manager (Exemptions and Extensions from Fostering Limit)

The manager who can authorise any exemptions from the usual fostering limit for foster carers living in the local authority area.

Post title:

Head of Care Services

Contact details:

01296 382303

Designated Manager (External Placements)

The manager who can authorise placements of Looked After children with external providers of residential care or foster carers from an independent fostering agency.

Post title:

Service Director, Children's Social Care/Head of Children's Care Services

Contact details:

01296 382053

01296 382303

Designated Manager (Fostering Panel Appointments)

The manager who can authorise appointments to the Central List of Fostering Panel members

Post title:

Head of Children's Care Services

Contact details:

01296 382303

Designated Manager (Leaving Care)

The manager who can approve a Pathway Plan.

Post title:

Head of Care Management

Contact details:

01296 387849

Designated Manager (Notifications)

Where a Looked After Child from another local authority has been placed in the area, the manager to whom the notification should be sent.

Post title:

Head of Service, First Response

Contact details:

01296 382758

Designated Manager (Passports)

The manager who can authorise a passport application for a Looked After child.

Post title:

Service Director, Children's Social Care

Contact details:

01296 382053

Designated Manager (Placement Orders)

The manager who can authorise an application for a Placement Order.

Post title:

Relevant Head of Service

Designated Manager (Private Fostering)

The manager who can approve assessments of private foster carers, impose requirements on private foster carers or decide to prohibit someone from acting as a private foster carer.

Post title:

Head of Children's Care Services

Contact details:

01296 382303

Designated Manager (Secure Accommodation)

The manager who can authorise:

A placement of a Looked After child in secure accommodation for up to 72 hours without a Secure Accommodation Order; and/or

An application for a Secure Accommodation Order; and/or

A child's continued secure placement on the recommendation of the Secure Accommodation Review Panel; and/or

Applications to renewal Secure Accommodation Orders on the recommendation of the Secure Accommodation Review Panel.

Post title:

Executive Director Children's Services

Contact details:

01296 383104

Designated Manager (Special Guardianship)

The manager who can authorise Special Guardianship as the permanence plan for a Looked After child.

Post title:

Relevant Head of Service

Designated Manager (Special Guardianship Support)

The manager who can authorise the level of special guardianship support to be provided, including financial support to special guardians.

Post title:

Head of Children's Care Services

Contact details:

01296 382303

Nominated Officer (Disruption of Education)

The manager who can authorise the change of placement affecting a Looked After child in Key Stage 4.

Post title:

Service Director, Children's Social Care

Contact details:

01296 382053

Nominated Officer (Fostering for Adoption)

The person who can authorise Fostering for Adoption.

Post title:

Head of Children's Care Services

Contact details:

01296 382303

Nominated Officer (Out of Area Placements)

The manager who can authorise the placement of a Looked After child outside the area of the local authority.

Post title:

Service Director, Children's Social Care / Head of Children's Care Services

Contact details:

01296 382053

01296 382303

Nominated Officer (Immediate Placement of a Looked After Child with Connected Person)

The manager who can authorise the placement of a Looked After child with a family or friend ('Connected Person') who is not already approved as a foster carer.

Post title:

Head of Children's Care Services

Contact details:

01296 382303

Nominated Officer (Placement of a Looked After Child subject to Care Order or Interim Care Order with Parents)

The manager who can authorise the placement of a Looked After child with a parent, person with Parental Responsibility or person who held a Residence Order/Child Arrangements Order specifying with whom the child was to reside immediately before the Care Order.

Post title:

Service Director Children's Social Care

Contact details:

01296 382053