3.1.1 Route Map for Looked After Children

SCOPE OF THIS CHAPTER

This Chapter summarises the steps/actions that must be taken in relation to children looked after from the point of referral to Leaving Care. Where appropriate, chapter references are provided; alternatively users may click on Keywords for additional guidance.

RELATED CHAPTERS

This Chapter should be read in conjunction with Decision to Look After and Care Planning Procedure.

AMENDMENTS

This chapter was last updated in October 2011 to take account of the Care Planning, Placement and Case Review (England) Regulations 2011 and associated guidance.

Referral Decision on outcome of referral within one working day	Information received that child may be a Child in Need of services. See Contacts and Referrals Procedure

Initial Assessment Within 10 working days	Child seen by social worker. Assessment identifies one of following: Child in Need requiring Core Assessment. Possible Significant Harm; leading to Strategy Discussion and possible Core Assessment with Child Protection Assessment. Child in Need with service provided and no Core Assessment. Child not in need, sign post to other agencies (including for Team Around the Child) and/or NFA. If the child is at risk of Significant Harm, there may be a need to take steps to protect the child, including obtaining an Emergency Protection Order. See Initial and Core Assessments Procedure

Core Assessment Within maximum of 35 working days	Core Assessment identifies child's needs and services required. As part of Core Assessment, where risk of Significant Harm identified, Strategy Discussion, Child Protection Assessment and possible Initial Child Protection Conference - may lead to Child Protection Plan. See Initial and Core Assessments Procedure

Conclusion reached that parent(s) are not meeting child's needs.

Consider additional support to maintain placement at home and/or need for Family Group Conference. Hold Planning/Threshold of Care Meeting Seek legal advice and, where appropriate, take account of pre-proceedings requirements of Public Law Outline	Referral for services to maintain child within the home, including Prevention and Intervention or the Placement Support Team or the Route One Outreach Project for alternative strategies Where appropriate refer to Care Proceedings Panel in relation to pre-proceedings requirements of Public Law Outline. See Care Proceedings Procedure

Consider other Family Options	Consider supporting arrangements for child to live with other family members, with support if necessary, which would avoid need for child to be Looked After. See Family and Friends Care Policy.

Conclusion reached that child should be Looked After.

Seek parents' agreement	Where possible, parents' agreement sought to child's admission to Looked After Service.

Seek legal advice and take account of requirements of Public Law Outline	Seek legal advice if necessary and decide whether child should be Accommodated or via Care Proceedings, in which case refer case to Care Proceedings Panel and have regard to the requirements of the Public Law Outline. See Care Proceedings Procedure

Consider Looked After Placement Options	Consider Looked After placement with Connected Person, with support if necessary. If suitable Connected Person available and placement likely to last for more than 16 weeks, assessment as foster carer required. See Placement with Connected Persons Procedure If no Connected Person available or suitable to care for child, consider other placement options in accordance with Placements Policy Procedure.

Draft Care Plan	Care Plan drafted in outline, identifying purpose of admission to Looked After Service, how the local authority will exercise its responsibilities for the child including type of placement and contact with parents. See Care Plans Guidance

Seek approval for Care Plan and placement	Seek approval to Care Plan and placement via Placement Matters Meeting. In emergency, seek approval within 72 hours of the child's placement. Care Plan to be completed within 10 working days of the child's first placement. See Decision to Look After and Care Planning Procedure

Initiate Court action	Where Court action considered necessary, Care Proceedings initiated or other appropriate Court application initiated, evidence prepared and hearing date arranged. For Secure Accommodation, the Designated Manager (Secure Placements) can authorise up to 72 hours in Secure Accommodation without a Court Order. See Placements in Secure Accommodation Procedure.

Placement Planning Meeting within 72 hours of placement	Placement Planning Meeting to be held prior to placement wherever possible or within 72 hours of placement if made in an emergency.

First Court hearing	Unless parents consent to child being Accommodated, Court hearing will occur before placement unless child on Police Protection or, for a Secure Accommodation placement, 72 hours placement has been authorised by the Designated Manager (Secure Placements). Emergency Protection Order or Interim Care Order obtained.

Place child and complete Placement Plan (on Placement Information Record) before or on day of child's placement	Placement Information Record completed before or on the day of the placement - as far as it can be - and if not completed in full, added to as soon as possible thereafter and at the latest within 5 working days of the placement.

Notifications of Placement	Health and Education notified that the placement has taken place. See Decision to Look After and Care Planning Procedure

Promote Family Contact	Detailed contact arrangements made and included within the child’s Placement Plan, in the context of the child’s Care Plan. See Contact with Parents and Other Relatives/Friends Social Visits for Looked After Children and Overnight Stays with Relatives and Friends Procedure

Arrange first Looked After Review Arrange first Looked After Review within 20 working days of placement	Independent Chairs/Quality Assurance Unit notified within one working day of child’s admission to Looked After service. Independent Reviewing Officer designated and date for the first Looked After Review arranged. See Looked After Reviews Procedure

Social worker visits The first visit should occur within 1 week of the child’s placement	Social worker visits to child made within one week of placement and then weekly for first 6 weeks if child placed with relative or friend, or otherwise at minimum of six weekly intervals in first year for the purposes of monitoring and supporting the placement. See Social Worker Visits Procedures

Arrange Health Assessment Draft Health Action Plan	Social Worker initiates arrangement for the child to undertake a Health Assessment. The Health Assessment should contribute to the child’s Health Action Plan, which forms part of the child’s Care Plan with detail in the Placement Plan and should be completed in time for the first Looked After Review. Depending on the age of the child, further Health Assessments must be conducted at between 6 and 12-month intervals. See Health Assessments and Health Action Plans Procedure

Complete Personal Education Plan (PEP) within 10 working days to be presented to first Looked After Review	Social Worker to liaise with child’s school and the education service and formulate a Personal Education Plan (PEP) as part of the child's Care Plan (i.e. within 10 working days).. See Education of Looked After Children Guidance

Implement Care Plan	As required by Care Plan, strategies implemented, further assessments organised (with Court’s permission if within Care Proceedings) and time-scales set to explore possibility of rehabilitation and/or other permanency options including need for Parallel Plan.

Assess carers, where placement is with relative or friend. Within 6 weeks of the placement starting	Assessment of Relative/Friend as foster carer presented to Fostering Panel within 6 weeks. See Placement with Connected Persons Procedure

Convene first Looked After Review. Within 20 working days of the Placement	Progress in implementing aims of Care Plan considered at first Looked After Review, agenda to include setting time-scales for achieving permanence for child. See Looked After Review Procedure

Interim/Final Court Hearing	Detailed Care Plan with recommendations for Court Order approved by Designated Manager (Care Proceedings) and presented to Court.

Rehabilitation Plan Implemented	Rehabilitation plan implemented wherever appropriate. Where Interim Care Order or Care Order in force, Placement with Parents Procedure followed. Where rehabilitation successfully takes place, subsequent Looked After Reviews consider need for Care Order to continue. Where no Care Order, child discharged from Looked After Service with Child in Need Plan of support and monitoring.

Permanence Plan agreed by second Looked After Review	If child remains looked after beyond the first Looked After Review, as soon as possible, and by second Looked After Review, Care Plan must incorporate a Permanence Plan to be implemented for child. See Permanency Policy for Looked After Children Procedure Permanence Planning for Children Procedure also Looked After Reviews Procedure

Where plan is for rehabilitation, Placement with Parents Procedure followed.

Where plan is for Adoption, Adoption Procedures followed - see Placement for Adoption Procedure.

Where plan is for placement within extended family, either as preferred plan or Parallel Plan, possible placements with family to be explored and assessed as appropriate. Where plan is for long-term foster placement or Special Guardianship Order or Residence Order, either as preferred plan or Parallel Plan, see Long Term Plans for Children Looked After and Referrals to Oxfordshire Adoption and Permanency Panel and the Fostering Panel Procedure.

Permanence Plan implementation By third Looked After Review	Where preferred Permanence Plan not implemented by third Looked After Review, consideration must be given to implementing the Parallel Plan.

Where preparation for independence appropriate.	Personal Adviser appointed and Pathway Plan drawn up and reviewed. See Leaving Care Procedure

End

3.1.1 Route Map for Looked After Children

SCOPE OF THIS CHAPTER

RELATED CHAPTERS

AMENDMENTS

Referral

Initial Assessment

Core Assessment