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flowchart Panel functions and processes Jan 2023

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Children’s Social Worker to discuss the need for the child or children to become looked after or movement with their Team Manager.

If Team Manager and Service Manager agree, Social Worker to complete a Placement Request Form via WCCIS and send an All About Me form to the Placement Unit mailbox.

Placement Officer will QA all documents. (see below good practice)

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To quality assure care planning and decision making and make timely service and financial decisions in relation to children and young people who are ‘at the edge of care’ i.e. at risk of becoming looked after.

To consider looked after children and young people who require a planned placement move or a move due to a potential placement breakdown.

To promote the physical and emotional well being of children and young people by ensuring appropriate support is in place to achieve positive outcomes.

To identify support for those children and young people who exhibit vulnerable or risky behaviours  likely to put themselves at high risk of significant harm, issues may include:

Regular episodes of missing from home or their care placement, where there is serious concern for their safety

Involvement in escalating and potentially serious drug or alcohol misuse

Serious incidents of self-harm

Child sexual abuse OR  sexual exploitation

Harmful Sexual behaviour

Challenging, violent and verbally abusive behaviour

Anti social/offending behaviour

Emotional health difficulties placing a child or young person at serious risk

Pattern of family or placement breakdown

Risk of trafficking or radicalisation

Young people bailed, remanded or facing remand to the care of the local authority

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It is important to capture the children/young persons views along with their likes and dislikes. The 'All about me' is to accompany the Placement Request.

Children cannot be appropriately placed with carers unless full information on children’s needs are provided

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The 'Placement Request Form' will be located on WCCIS

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Caer - CS - Placement Request Form (CCBC Version)

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Panel will meet on a weekly basis - Tuesday 2pm until 5pm.

All documentation and relevant paperwork MUST be completed and approved on WCCIS by 12 noon on the Friday prior to the Panel meeting.

The Panel Administrator will be responsible for drafting the Panel Agenda, scheduling the cases for presentation, confirming times with presenting Social Workers and circulating the documentation to Panel Members.

Placement Officer will quality assure documentation prior to panel.

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The following decisions may be made:-

Approval given for the child/young person to become    looked after.

Approval not given for the child/young person to become looked after, with recommendations for further  work

Defer the case for further work or information

Not agree with the request to Become Looked After or  move

The panel administrator will record a summary of the discussion and all decisions/recommendations made.

The Panel Chair will authorise the decisions / recommendations prior to them being stored on WCCIS.

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Placement search commences in-house

In-House provision not identified
Placement Unit will seek agreement from Service Manager for external provision search.

Placement Unit will search availability using the Independent Placement Tendering process via CCSR based on the child’s needs. A shortlist is then compiled for potential matches for the child.  Please note the 'Placement Request Form' must be accompanied by the 'All About Me'.

The social worker has a maximum of 3 DAYS to inform the placement unit of any potential carers that they wish to pursue.

Placement Unit will then discuss with the agency any potential carers.

Social Worker will arrange a visit with proposed carers, and then inform Placement Unit of their decision. No agreements are given at this stage.

Placement Unit will gather the funding costs for the placement identified, and send to Service Manager for funding approval. Once agreed, it is returned to Placement Unit and Social Worker informed of decision.

Placement Unit will then notify all providers who were unsuccessful in securing placement.

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Information that is required when identifying a placement

·      Child’s Behaviours

When completing information on behaviours this needs to be specific including the triggers and the current behaviour management that may or may not be working.  eg. Absconding, drug taking

In circumstances where behaviour is particularly disruptive/challenging at home it would be useful for information to be included on how they are outside of the family setting.  eg. school

·      Health

Any health conditions and how these are managed and what you are expecting from a carer in relation to meeting these needs. Eg appointments over and above normal GP appointments.

·      Education

What educational setting they are currently attending, whether this placement is to be maintained and what you would want from the carer to promote this.  If transport is already being provided this will also need to be outlined.

·      Contact

Information on what level of contact you would be considering and where this contact is likely to take place and the frequency.

·      Hobbies/interests

Carers always like to know what the child/young persons interests are in order to continue to promote these.

·      Significant others

Other children/family members that would be of relevance to them

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The social worker/Team Manager should contact the Placement Unit following discussions with Service Manager with as much information as possible while the Placement Request Form is being completed.

The placement will go ahead and the process will be completed in retrospect and presented to the next panel.

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Where the child/young person  has been ‘matched’ with a suitable placement, a potential planned placement proforma is required for all in-house carers. In addition all placements must have ‘planning’ meeting arranged to include:

the parents/guardians/other

the child or young person (depending on age,

understanding etc)

the foster carers/residential care worker

the child or young person’s allocated worker

the foster carers allocated worker

appropriate manager (IFA)/ Residential Unit Manager

(where appropriate)

Education Office (where appropriate)

The ‘planning’ meeting will ensure that:

the appropriate CLA documentation is completed, to include; Placement Plan Parts and Care plan

introductory visits are agreed and arrangements made for placement

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Regulation 26 - Immediate Placement with a Connected Person

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Regulation 26 - Immediate Placement with a Connected Person

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It is acknowledged that deciding whether care & support can be provided, or deciding if a child should be placed under Regulation 26 with a connected person, may be a difficult practice decision to make and must therefore be discussed fully with the Team Manager / Service Manager.

Prior to the placement of a child with a relative or friend under Regulation 26, specific checks must be completed as follows:
• Initial Police checks
• Local Authority checks
• Interviewing the prospective carers about their ability to suitably care for and protect the child
• Obtaining information about other persons in the household
• Inspecting the accommodation and proposed sleeping arrangements for the child

This information must be gathered by the child’s social worker and must be recorded within the Connected Persons Part 1. The Team Manager will have a quality assurance role before this is passed to the Placement Unit for the Service Manager to agree. On receipt of Service Manager approval, the Placement Unit will amend the legal status of the child to ‘child looked after’ and arrange financial support for the carers.

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Payment Information for Connected Persons

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Payment Information for Connected Persons

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finanical information Relative carer 2025

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The Placement Plan will be added by the placement unit administrator in readiness for you.

(see Children Looked After)