Care Plan

Every Looked After child must have a Care Plan completed and updated by the social worker.

The overall purpose of the plan is to safeguard and promote the interests of the child, prevent drift and focus work with the child and the family.

The Care Plan must be regularly reviewed at Looked After Reviews.

The Care Plan sets out its overall objectives and timescales (including, by the time of the second Looked After Review, how permanence will be achieved for the child), summarises the needs of the child, identifies the services required to meet those needs and describes the management and support of the plan by the local authority.

Before a Court grants a Care Order it must be satisfied that a suitable Care Plan has been drawn up.

The child's overarching Care Plan should include:

• Placement Plan (setting out why the placement was chosen and how the placement will contribute to meeting the child's needs);
• Permanence Plan (long-term plans for the child's upbringing including timescales);
• Pathway Plan (where appropriate, for young people leaving care);
• Health Plan;
• Personal Education Plan;
• The Contingency Plan;
• The date of the child’s first Looked After Review (within 20 days);
• The name of the Independent Reviewing Officer.

Also see: definition of Care Plan for Adults services.