Leicestershire County Council Logo

LeicestershireChildren and Family Service Procedures Manual

Contents

Children's Services Policies, Values and Principles

Children's Consultation and Participation

 

Local Information

Leicestershire: see Local Policies, Procedures & Guidance

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. Case Management and Recording
  3. Children in Particular Circumstances
  4. Looked After Children
  5. Fostering and Adoption
  6. Contacts, List of Agency Decision Makers and Appendices

1. All Children

CAPTION: All Children
   

1.1

Early Help and Thresholds for Children's Social Care Services

1.1.1 Early Help  
1.1.2 Threshold for Access to Services  


 

1.2

Children's Social Care - Assessment and Planning

 
1.2.1 Contacts and Referrals  
1.2.2 Assessments  
1.2.3 Local Protocol for Assessment  
1.2.4 Child Protection Enquiries (Section 47)  
  See also: Leicester City, Leicestershire and Rutland Local Safeguarding Children Partnership Procedures Manual  
1.2.5 Allocation of Work and Transfer between Teams  
1.2.6 Guidance on the Use of Written Agreements  
1.2.7 Capacity and Consent Updated


 

1.3

Child in Need

 
1.3.1 Child in Need Plans and Reviews  


 

1.4

Legal Proceedings

 
1.4.1 Applications for Emergency Protection Orders  
1.4.2 Care and Supervision Proceedings and the Public Law Outline  
1.4.3 Legal Gateway/Planning Meetings  
1.4.4 Protocol and Good Practice Model: Disclosure of Information in Cases of Alleged Child Abuse and Linked Criminal and Care Direction Hearings (October 2013)  
  See also: Cross-border child protection cases: the 1996 Hague Convention (DfE)  
  and 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.  


 

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)  


 

1.7

Safeguarding and Child Protection

 
  Leicester City, Leicestershire and Rutland Local Safeguarding Children Partnership Procedures Manual
Leicester City, Leicestershire and Rutland Local Safeguarding Children Partnership Procedures set out how organisations and individuals should work together to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people. Included within the procedures is a comprehensive range of guidance documents, which provide further safeguarding advice to practitioners
.
 
  See also: Local Policies, Procedures & Guidance  
1.7.1 Children and Young People who Runaway or go Missing from Home or Care  
1.7.2 Children and Families who go Missing (including unborn children)  
1.7.3 Child Exploitation, CSE and Contextual Safeguarding  
1.7.4 Harmful Sexual Behaviour  
1.7.5 Family Care and Protect Meetings  

2. Case Management and Recording

CAPTION: Case Management and Recording
   
2.1 Recording Policy and Guidelines  
2.2 Case Records and Retention Updated
2.3 Access to Records / Subject Access Requests  
2.4 Confidentiality Policy  
2.5 Use of Social Media Sites by Social Care and Safeguarding Staff  
2.6 Storage of Data on Mobile Devices  

3. Children in Particular Circumstances

CAPTION: Children in Particular Circumstances
   

3.1

Children with Disabilities

3.1.1 Children and Young People Aged 0-25 with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Updated
3.1.2 Direct Payments  
3.1.3 Short Breaks  
3.1.4 Placing and Visiting Children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities or Health Conditions in Long-Term Residential Settings Updated


 

3.2

Children from Abroad

 
3.2.1 Unaccompanied Migrant Children and Child Victims of Trafficking and Modern Slavery Updated
3.2.2 Families with No Recourse to Public Funds  


 

3.3

Homelessness

 
3.3.1 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  


 

3.4

Family and Friends Care

 
3.4.1 Family and Friends Care (Kinship Care)  
3.4.2 Private Fostering  


 

3.5

Young Carers

 
3.5.1 Young Carers  


 

3.6

Relinquished Children

 
3.6.1 Relinquished Children  


 

3.7

Deprivation of Liberty and Mental Capacity

 
3.7.1 Deprivation of Liberty  
3.7.2 Mental Capacity  


 

3.8

Mental Health

 
3.8.1 Aftercare under Section 117 of the Mental Health Act 1983  

4. Looked After Children

CAPTION: Looked After Children
   

4.1

Decision to Look After and Care Planning

4.1.1 Local Authority's Sufficiency Duty - Accommodation for Looked After Children  
4.1.2 Decision to Look After Updated
4.1.3 Care Planning  
4.1.4 Ceasing to Look After a Child  
4.1.5 Permanence Planning Guidance  
  See also: Fostering for Adoption, Concurrent Planning and Temporary Approval as Foster Carers of Approved Prospective Adopters  
4.1.6 Placement Planning and Disruption Meetings  
4.1.7 Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority Claims for Looked After Children  
4.1.8 Risk Assessment and Planning  
4.1.9 Providing Personalised Care  
4.1.10 NICE Guideline: Looked After Children and Young People  


 

4.2

Placements

 
4.2.1 Placements with Parents  
4.2.2 Placements with Connected Persons (Kinship Care)  
4.2.3 Placements in Foster Care  
4.2.4 Placements in Residential Care  
4.2.5 Placements in Secure Accommodation Updated
4.2.6 Out of Area Placements  
4.2.7 Placements Outside England and Wales  
4.2.8 Placements in Other Arrangements Updated
4.2.9 Remands to Local Authority Accommodation or to Youth Detention Accommodation  
4.2.10 Notifications from Other Local Authorities/Placement Providers  
4.2.11 Delegation of Authority to Foster Carers and Residential Workers  
4.2.12 Health and Safety Updated
  See also: Looked After Children and Young People in Contact with Youth Justice Services  


 

4.3

Monitoring and Reviews

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


 

4.4

Contact and Overnight Stays

 
  See also: Delegation of Authority to Foster Carers and Residential Workers  
4.4.1 Family Time with Parents/Adults and Siblings  
4.4.2 Social Visits (Including Overnight Stays)  


 

4.5

Education, School Trips and Holidays

 
  See also: Delegation of Authority to Foster Carers and Residential Workers  
4.5.1 Education of Looked After Children  
4.5.2 Holidays and School Trips in the UK  
4.5.3 Holidays and School Trips Outside the UK  


 

4.6

Health and Wellbeing

 
4.6.1 Health Care Assessments and Plans Updated
4.6.2 Personal Care and Relationships  
4.6.3 Positive Relationships and Behaviour Management Updated
4.6.4 Restrictive Physical Intervention  


 

4.7

Change of Name and Marriage

 
4.7.1 Change of Name of a Looked After Child  
4.7.2 Marriage/Civil Partnership of a Looked After Child Updated


 

4.8

Leaving Care and Transition

 
4.8.1 Leaving Care and Transition Updated
4.8.2 Staying Put  
4.8.3 Financial Arrangements for Care Leavers  
  See also: Responsibilities of the Local Authority to Former Looked After Children and Young People in Custody  


 

4.9

Children Involved in the Youth Justice System

 
4.9.1 Children Involved in the Youth Justice System Additional National Guidance  
4.9.2 Looked After Children and Young People in Contact with Youth Justice Services  
4.9.3 Responsibilities of the Local Authority to Former Looked After Children and Young People in Custody  
  See also: Remands to Local Authority Accommodation or to Youth Detention Accommodation  

5. Fostering and Adoption

CAPTION: Fostering and Adoption
   

5.1

Fostering Services

5.1.1 Fostering Panel  
5.1.2 Persons Disqualified from Fostering  
5.1.3 Assessment and Approvals of Foster Carers  
5.1.4 Exemptions and Extensions/Variations to Foster Carer Approval  
5.1.5 Supervision and Support of Foster Carers  
5.1.6 Review and Termination of Approval of Foster Carers  
5.1.7 Allegations Against Foster Carers Updated
5.1.8 Training and Development of Foster Carers  
  See also: Fostering for Adoption, Concurrent Planning and Temporary Approval as Foster Carers of Approved Prospective Adopters  


 

5.2

Adoption and Permanence Services

 
5.2.1 Recruitment, Assessment and Approvals of Prospective Adopters  
5.2.2 Adoption Panel  
5.2.3 Placement for Adoption  
5.2.4 Adoption Support  
5.2.5 Monitoring and Supervision of Adoptive Placements  
5.2.6 Adoption Reviews  
5.2.7 Disruption of Adoptive Placements  
5.2.8 Allegations Against Prospective Adopters and in Relation to Children Placed for Adoption or Already Adopted Updated
5.2.9 Inter Country Adoption  
5.2.10 Non Agency Adoption  
5.2.11 Adoption Case Records  
5.2.12 Access to Birth Records and Adoption Case Records  
5.2.13 Intermediary Services  
5.2.14 Life Story Books Guidance  
5.2.15 Later Life Letters  
5.2.16 Fostering for Adoption, Concurrent Planning and Temporary Approval as Foster Carers of Approved Prospective Adopters  


 

5.3

Special Guardianship

 
5.3.1 Applications for Special Guardianship Orders  
5.3.2 Court Reports in Adoption/Special Guardianship Guidance  

6. Contacts, List of Agency Decision Makers and Appendices

CAPTION: Contacts, List of Agency Decision Makers and Appendices
   
6.1 Local Contact Information  
6.2 List of Agency Decision Makers, Designated Managers and Nominated Officers Updated
6.3 Working Together to Safeguard Children  
6.4 Ofsted Inspection New
6.5 Amendments