Using this Manual

This quick guide explains how the manual works.

1. About this Manual

The West Sussex Children Services Procedures Manual is produced and maintained in partnership with tri.x. It replaces all previous procedures manuals. The manual is updated on a regular basis and you can register to be alerted to any changes by using the 'Register for Updates' button.

For further details, please contact Melanie Spencer, Principal Social Worker (melanie.spencer@westsussex.gov.uk).

Note: We value the children and young people that we work with. In particular, the children and young people we care for are known as Children Looked After. However, in the context of this manual as the legislation refers to Looked After Children this is the terminology that is used within the procedures. We have changed the chapter headings of a number of the procedures to acknowledge the use of the term Children Looked After.

2. Amendments

This manual will be updated on a regular basis and a summary of the changes can be accessed via the 'Amendments' button on the Home page. The next planned update of the manual is May 2024.

If you would like to suggest a change to the procedures manual discuss your suggestion with your line manager in the first instance.

3. Procedures, Practice Guidance

This manual contains range of Guidance to support you in your work, which can be accessed via the navigation bar.

  • Main Policies - this contains our key policies and ensures that we comply with the law and statutory guidance when safeguarding the needs of the children and families we work with. This guides our social work practice;
  • Practice Guidance - contains local guidance, tools and other information that supports and complements our main policies;
  • West Sussex Safeguarding Children Partnership and the Sussex Child Protection and Safeguarding Procedures cover areas of work that relates to multi-agency child protection process, including guidance on the section 47, child protection processes, core groups etc as well as the areas of concern for example CSE, Missing, Domestic Abuse. You need to read this procedures too;
  • MOSAIC - contains "Workflow" and "How to Guides" for specific areas relating to our policies.

4. Glossary and National Contacts

The manual is accessed by readers who may find terms that they are not familiar with. Therefore, a glossary of definitions is available under the resource tab.

There is also a National Contacts resource populated with details of key national agencies and organisations likely to be relevant to procedures user.

5. Regulatory Compliance

Every effort has been taken to ensure regulatory compliance. If you discover any errors or omissions, please alert your manager.

6. Register for Updates

We recommend that you register with us to automatically receive notification when this manual is updated, and to receive a monthly newsletter containing articles which may be of interest. Click here to Register for Updates, to complete and send your details to us.

We will manage your data respectfully and in accordance with your preferences and we will never share your data with other organisations for marketing or other purposes.

The content of this website can be accessed, printed and downloaded in an unaltered form, on a temporary basis, for personal study or reference purposes. Content printed or downloaded may not be sold, licensed, transferred, copied or reproduced in whole or in part in any manner or in or on any media to any person without the prior written consent of tri.x and West Sussex County Council.

8. Accessibility

This website aims to achieve Double-A conformance to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines in accordance with government guidelines. In order to change font size or manual colour use the highlighted 'Accessibility' button at the top right hand corner of any page.

9. Printing and Retaining Copies

The Manual is intended to be viewed on line to ensure only the most up-to-date version of procedures are being used. It will be updated regularly so, in the unlikely event there is a requirement for hard copies they should be destroyed after 72 hours.

10. Browser Recommendations

It is recommended that this manual is viewed with the latest browsers, with Java Script and cookies enabled for maximum compatibility and functionality.

Recommended browsers are:

11. Mobile/Tablet Compatibility

This manual has been tested on a variety of mobile devices to ensure that it displays correctly. If you are using an older mobile device it is possible that the manual will not display correctly.

If you would like the text to be larger, resize the text under the accessibility options, alternatively if you would also like the buttons and the rest of the layout to be enlarged you can use the zoom function within your browser.

The majority of devices have the functionality to allow a shortcut to be downloaded to the homescreen by loading the site using the 'url' and using the upload function and tapping 'Add to Home Screen'. The functionality may vary between devices, please refer to the manufacturer's instructions.