Contents


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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

1.1

Policy, Values and Principles and Staffing

  
  See also information on the Middlesbrough Council's intranet, and the Middlesbrough Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy 2013 - 2023.  
1.1.1 Children's Services Policies, Values and Principles  
1.1.2 Children's Consultation and Participation  
1.1.3 Capacity and Consent  
1.1.4 Equality and Diversity  


 

1.2

Early Help and Thresholds for Children's Social Care Services

  
1.2.1 Early Help  
1.2.2 Threshold Document: Providing the Right Support to Meet a Child's Needs  
  See also Early Intervention: Policy and Provision (House of Commons Library)  


 

1.3

Children's Social Care - Assessment and Planning

  
1.3.1 Contacts and Referrals  
1.3.2 Assessments  
1.3.3 Local Protocol for Assessment  
1.3.4 Child Protection Enquiries (Section 47)  
  See also: STSP (South Tees Safeguarding Procedures)  
  and Making a Referral/Safer Referral Form  
1.3.5 Allocation of Work and Transfer between Teams  


 

1.4

Child in Need

  
1.4.1 Child in Need Plans and Reviews  


 

1.5

Legal Proceedings

  
1.5.1 Applications for Emergency Protection Orders  
1.5.2 Care and Supervision Proceedings and the Public Law Outline Updated
1.5.3 Legal Gateway/Planning Meetings  
1.5.4 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.  
  and Gateway, Monitoring & Review Panel - Terms of Reference  


 

1.6

Complaints and Whistleblowing

  
1.6.1 Complaints and Representations  
1.6.2 Whistleblowing  
  See also: Raising Concerns at Work: Whistleblowing Guidance for Workers and Employers in Health and Social Care (2014)  
  Whistleblowing Helpline - Speak Up  
  Protect (previously Public Concern at Work) Updated


 

1.7

Notifications

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


 

1.8

Staffing

  
1.8.1 Supervision  


2. Case Management and Recording

2.1 Retention of Records  
2.2 Access to Records / Subject Access Requests  
2.3 Confidentiality Policy  
2.4 Electronic Recording of Meetings and Conversations  
2.5 Storage of Data on Mobile Devices  
2.6 Use of Social Media Sites by Social Care and Safeguarding Staff  


3. 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  


 

3.2

Deprivations of Liberty and Mental Capacity

  
3.2.1 Deprivations of Liberty  
3.2.2 Mental Capacity  


 

3.3

Children from Abroad

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


 

3.4

Homelessness

  
3.4.1 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  


 

3.5

Family and Friends Care

  
3.5.1 Family and Friends Carers (Kinship Care) Policy Guidance  
3.5.2 Child Arrangements Order and Residence Order Allowance Policy  
3.5.3 Private Fostering  


 

3.6

Young Carers

  
3.6.1 Young Carers Updated


 

3.7

Relinquished Children

  
3.7.1 Relinquished Children  


 

3.8

Missing Children

  
3.8.1 Tees Protocol for Children Missing from Home and Care  


 

3.9

Vulnerable, Exploited, Missing, Trafficked (VEMT)

  
3.9.1 Vulnerable, Exploited, Missing, Trafficked (VEMT)  


 

3.10

Mental Health

  
3.10.1 Aftercare under Section 117 of the Mental Health Act 1983 Updated


4. 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  
4.1.3 Care Planning  
4.1.4 Ceasing to Look After a Child  
4.1.5 Permanence Planning Guidance  
  See also: Early Permanence: 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  


 

4.2

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 Remands to Local Authority Accommodation or to Youth Detention Accommodation  
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 Placements in Other Arrangements Updated
4.2.12 Risk Assessment and Planning  
4.2.13 Providing Personalised Care  
4.2.14 Health and Safety Updated
  See also: Looked After Children and Young People in Contact with Youth Justice Services  
  and Gateway, Monitoring & Review Panel - Terms of Reference  
  See also: NICE Guideline: Looked After Children and Young People  


 

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  
4.3.7 Gateway, Monitoring & Review Panel - Terms of Reference  


 

4.4

Contact and Overnight Stays

  
  See also: Delegation of Authority to Foster Carers and Residential Workers  
4.4.1 Contact 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 Supporting the Education and Promoting the Achievement of Children with a Social Worker, Looked After and Previously Looked After Children Updated
4.5.2 Holidays and School Trips In and Outside the UK  
4.5.3 Leisure Activities  


 

4.6

Health and Wellbeing

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


 

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  


 

4.8

Leaving Care and Transition

  
4.8.1 Leaving Care and Transition  
4.8.2 Staying Put  
4.8.3 Leaving Care Service: Policy and Guidance Relating to Financial Assistance  
  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 Looked After Children and Young People in Contact with Youth Justice Services  
4.9.2 Responsibilities of the Local Authority to Former Looked After Children and Young People in Custody  
4.9.3 Children Involved in the Youth Justice System: Additional National Guidance  
  See also: Remands to Local Authority Accommodation or to Youth Detention Accommodation75  


5. 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  
5.1.8 Training and Development of Foster Carers  
  See also: Early Permanence: Fostering for Adoption, Concurrent Planning and Temporary Approval as Foster Carers of Approved Prospective Adopters  
  See also: Gateway, Monitoring & Review Panel - Terms of Reference  


 

5.2

Adoption and Permanence Services

  
  See also: Regional Adoption Agency – Adoption Tees Valley  
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  
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 Early Permanence: Fostering for Adoption, Concurrent Planning and Temporary Approval as Foster Carers of Approved Prospective Adopters  
  See also: Gateway, Monitoring & Review Panel - Terms of Reference  


 

5.3

Special Guardianship

  
5.3.1 Applications for Special Guardianship Orders  
5.3.2 Court Reports in Placement Order Applications and Adoption/Special Guardianship Guidance  
5.3.3 Special Guardianship Order Allowance Policy  
  See also: Gateway, Monitoring & Review Panel - Terms of Reference  


6. Contacts, List of Agency Decision Makers and Appendices

6.1 Working Together to Safeguard Children  
6.2 Ofsted Inspection Framework  
6.3 Amendments