Quick Guide |
Handbook Version December 2011
This 'Quick Guide' must be read before accessing the body of the handbook.
Contents
- Display and Browser Options
- Structure of the Handbook
- Amendments
- How to find a Chapter
- Terminology
- Keywords
- Compliance
- Contact us
- Copyright
- Printing and Retaining Copies
1. Display and Browser Options
People with a visual impairment may have difficulty accessing this Handbook.
To change the size of the text/layout - please use these accessibility buttons
which are on menu bar on the left side of every screen. Click a larger button to increase your text size, the very largest being high visibility mode.
2. Structure of the Handbook
This handbook contains the policies, procedures and guidance for the London Borough of Southwark Specialist Children’s Services and Safeguarding.
In this handbook, all Southwark’s Policies, Values and Principles are located in one Chapter called ‘Values’ (available from the left hand side of the screen) which users are required to familiarise themselves with before proceeding to the main body of the Handbook.
Procedures and Guidance: In an attempt to keep procedures succinct, procedures and more detailed guidance are separated - with links provided as appropriate. 'Procedures' summarise how Managers and Staff must act in given circumstances. 'Guidance' provides direction or advice to a decision or course of action.
The handbook also incorporates a copy of the London Child Protection Procedures – see 4.3 below.
3. Amendments
The handbook will be regularly updated. If you have anything you wish to be included in future editions, please contact Jackie Cook, Business Manager, Quality Assurance Team –Jackie.cook@southwark.gov.uk. The planning meeting for the next update has been arranged for March 2012, following which the update will be published in May/June 2012.
This version of the handbook has been updated in relation to the following Regulations, Guidance and Standards, which came into effect on 1 April 2011:
- The Care Planning, Placement and Case Review (England) Regulations 2010 (Care Planning Regulations) and Associated Guidance;
- The Care Leavers (England) Regulations 2010 and Associated Guidance;
- The Children's Homes (Amendment) Regulations 2011, Associated Guidance (Volume 5) and National Minimum Standards (NMS);
- The Fostering Services Regulations 2011, Associated Guidance (Volume 4) and National Minimum Standards (NMS);
- The Adoption Guidance and National Minimum Standards.
See National Minimum Standards website to access a web enabled version of the Children's Homes, Fostering and Adoption National Minimum Standards.
Where a chapter has been amended, it is marked as 'updated' in the Contents list and at the top of each chapter. Some new chapters have been introduced as a result of the above legislation; they are marked as 'new' in the contents list.
The table below sets out the new and amended chapters.
| Section | Title | |
| New Chapters | ||
| 1.1.5 | Family and Friends Policy | |
| 1.4.6 | Children Missing from Home | |
| 3.1.5 | Local Authority's Sufficiency Duty - Accommodation for Looked After Children | |
| 3.2.11 | Out of Area Placements | |
| 3.3.3 | Appointment and Role of Independent Reviewing Officers | |
| 3.11.1 | CLA Service - Succeeding into Adulthood | |
| 3.11.3 | Responsibilities of the Local Authority to Former Looked After Children and Young People in Custody | |
| 3.15.4 | Case Records for Looked After Children | |
| 3.15.5 | Looked After Children in Contact with the Youth Justice System | |
| 5.2 | Short Breaks | |
| 6.3 | Purpose Specific Information Sharing Arrangements between the Metropolitan Police, Southwark Council, and Southwark Primary Care Trust | |
| 6.4A | Protocol regarding the Management of 16 and 17 year old Young People who may be Homeless or require Accommodation | |
| 6.14 | IRO Dispute Resolution Process and Flowchart | |
| 6.24 | Multi Agency Protocol for the Conduct of Domestic Homicide Reviews | |
| Amended Chapters | Description | |
| 1.2.2 | ICSS (Integrated Child Support service) Pathway | This chapter was updated to include a flowchart. |
| 1.2.3 | CAF Guidance | This guidance has been updated. |
| 1.2.7 | Strategy Discussions | This chapter has been updated to include a section in relation to mobile families. |
| 1.2.16 | Protocol for Transfer between Teams within Specialist Children's Services and Safeguarding | This protocol has been updated. |
| 1.4.3 | Notifications from other Local Authorities of Looked After Children placed in Southwark | This chapter was amended to the new regulatory framework. |
| 1.4.5 | Children Missing Education Referral and Assessment Guidance | The contact details in this chapter have been updated. |
| 1.5.5 | Physical Interventions | This chapter was amended to reflect the Children's Homes (Amendment) Regulations 2011 and associated guidance and to state staff in children's homes may only use restraint techniques that are approved by the home in which they are working. |
| 2.2.2 | Family and Friends Arrangements | This chapter has been updated. |
| 3.1.3 | Route map for Looked After Children | This chapter has been updated to reflect the changes to the regulatory framework for looked after children. |
| 3.1.4 | Decision to Look After, Care and Permanence Planning | This chapter was updated in relation to timescales, circulation of the Care Plan, other required plans and documentation, and also include change of terminology from 'friends and family carer' to 'Connected Person'. |
| 3.2.1 | Placements in Foster Care | This chapter has been revised in particular to include reference to visits by the social worker to potential foster carers, information regarding bedroom sharing, out of area placements and avoidance of disruption of education; information regarding the matching process; the Placement Planning Meeting and the Placement Plan; emergency placements with local authority foster carers outside terms of approval for 6 working days; helping the child to understand the reasons for the placement ending, and foster carers being supported to maintain contact with the child. |
| 3.2.3 | Placements in Residential Care | This chapter was amended to include social work visits to the home, out of area placements and avoidance of disruption in education, more information about the Placement Planning Meeting and the contents of the Placement Plan for children in residential care. |
| 3.2.4 | Placements in Secure Accommodation | This chapter was amended to include a new section for children under 13, and include information regarding the contents of the Placement Plan and the child's IRO should be included on the Care Plan circulation list. |
| 3.2.5 | Placements with Parents | This chapter has been significantly revised and should be re-read in its entirety. |
| 3.2.6 | Placements with Connected Persons | This chapter was amended, in particular in the use of the term 'Connected Person' to describe family or friends carers who are not approved as foster carers at the point of placement and the change in the length of 'temporary approval' of such carers from 6 to 16 weeks. The chapter also now includes more detail as to the assessment of suitability that must be undertaken prior to the placement. |
| 3.2.8 | Placements in Semi-Independent Accommodation | This chapter was to include information about the suitability of accommodation. |
| 3.3.2 | Looked After Reviews | The following have been significantly amended in this chapter: Frequency of Looked After Reviews, Invitations, Social Worker's Responsibilities, Chair's Responsibilities, Notifications and Recording of Looked After Reviews and should be read in their entirety. Two new sections have been added: Looked After Reviews on Children who are the subject of Child Protection Plans, Review Recommendations and Decisions and Conflict Resolution. |
| 3.5.1 | Education of Looked After Children | This chapter was revised in relation to timescales and new information included regarding objectives and targets of the PEP and avoidance of disruption in education. |
| 3.5.2 | Personal Education Plans | This chapter was amended in relation to timescales, and the objectives and targets of a PEP. |
| 3.6.1 | Contact with Parents and Siblings | This chapter was amended to reflect that contact should include grandparents and half-siblings, and that foster carers providing short breaks should maintain contact with the child as agreed. Staff / carers should reporting significant reactions of a child following contact to the social worker. Also, includes reference to emergency restrictions on contact. |
| 3.7.1 | Fostering Panel | In this chapter Section 1, Membership has been revised significantly and should be re-read in its entirety. It has also been amended to include reference to potential foster carers attending meetings which discuss their application. |
| 3.7.2 | Assessment and Approval of Foster Carers | This chapter was amended in December 2011 to reflect the Fostering Services (England) Regulations 2011, Associated Guidance and National Minimum Standards. Changes include checking applicants to ensure they have a right to work in the UK; The Fostering Panel making a decision within eight months of receiving a formal application; foster carers must be able to understand and deal with young people's behaviour; transport must also be assessed as safe; and each child over three must have their own bedroom unless otherwise agreed. |
| 3.7.4 | Persons Disqualified from Fostering | In this chapter Section 1, Persons Disqualified from Fostering has been completely revised and should be re-read in its entirety. |
| 3.7.5 | Allegations against Foster Carers, Prospective Adopters and Adopters | This chapter was to include reference to the identification of a Designated Manager for Allegations within the Fostering and Adoption Service and ensuring all staff are aware of this procedure. It also now includes additional responsibilities for the supervising social work, reference to the support and payment of foster carers during an investigation, and references to documentation of the investigation. |
| 3.7.6 | Review of Foster Carers | This chapter was revised to foster carer standards and development and training. |
| 3.7.7 | Supervision and Support of Foster Carers | This chapter was amended to include reference to meeting standards and completion of personal development plans. Support Provided by the Supervising Social Worker is a new section and should be read in its entirety. |
| 3.8.4 | Health Care Assessments and Health Care Plans | This chapter was revised in relation to who carries out assessments and when, and the Health Care Plan being updated at the child's Looked After Review. |
| 3.10.1 | Placement for Adoption | This chapter was amended to include the requirement to provide information to the child prior to the placement about the prospective adoptive home and the proposed contact arrangements with the birth family, and the requirements on ethnicity and matching and the areas of support to be provided to the prospective adopters as set out in the National Minimum Standards. |
| 3.10.2 | Adoption Panel | This chapter was amended as the constitution and membership of the Panel has changed. |
| 3.10.3 | Assessment and Approval of Prospective Adopters | This chapter was amended particularly in relation to enquirers not being turned away on the basis that their ethnicity and culture is not shared with those children waiting to be placed for adoption, or because of their age. Also includes reference to the circumstances in which prospective adopters details can be given to the Adoption Register. |
| 3.10.4 | Inter-country Adoption | This chapter was amended to reflect changes in information given at the recruitment stage, follow-up interviews or invitations to information meetings should take place within two months of the enquiry and prospective adopters getting full information about the child which may include access to specialist advice. |
| 3.10.6 | Access by Adopted Persons to Birth and Adoption Records | This chapter was amended to include more information about the role of the Independent Review Panel. |
| 3.10.7 | Adoption Case Records | This chapter has been amended in relation to when to open an Adoption Case Record for prospective adopters. |
| 3.10.8 | Adoption Support Services | This chapter to include reference to assistance with cross boundary issues and giving information about employees rights to leave and pay. |
| 3.10.9 | Adoption Reviews | This chapter was amended to state that until a child is placed for adoption, Adoption Reviews should run alongside Looked After Reviews, rather than supercede them, and reference that the IRO should advise the child about his or her right to appoint an advocate where they have problems or concerns |
| 3.10.10 | Intermediary Services | This chapter was amended to include reference to the provision of information about the available services and the possible impact of using them |
| 3.12.1 | Social Worker Visits | This chapter was amended in relation to the frequency and conditions of social worker visits. |
| 3.13.1 | Children's Bedrooms | This chapter was amended in relation to the sharing of bedrooms in foster and children's homes. |
| 3.14.1 | Advocacy and Independent Visitors | This chapter was amended to reflect the changed criteria for the appointment of Independent. |
| 4.1 | Assessing Prospective Foster Carers | This chapter was amended to include new references to suitable transport, and dealing with children's behaviour. |
| 4.2 | Behaviour Management | This chapter was revised to now include information in relation to minimum house rules, searching and serious incidents, including physical intervention |
| 4.3 | Care Plans | This chapter was amended relation to the contents of the Care Plan. |
| 4.4 | Children's Reviews Guidance | This chapter was to include specific reference to Looked After Reviews On Children Who Are The Subject of Child Protection Plans. |
| 4.9 | Education of Looked After Children | This chapter was amended in relation to PEP timescales and reference to the avoidance of disruption in education at Key Stage 4. |
| 4.15 | Life Packs | This chapter was amended to include more information about the Life Story Book and Later Life Letters. |
| 4.18 | Permanence Planning | This chapter was updated to reflect the new regulatory framework for looked after children |
4. How to find a chapter
Procedures and guidance are located in individual 'Chapters' which are available from a 'traditional' Contents List - on the left hand side of the screen.
4.1 Using the Contents List
Chapters are categorised or grouped together as follows:
PARTS: The handbook contains procedures categorised under a number of Service Sectors, like 'Looked After Children',
SECTIONS: Within each Service Sector e.g. 'Looked After Services', you will find a Section (group of procedures) like 'Placements'.
CHAPTERS: Under each Section, you'll find individual Chapters/Procedures e.g. 'Placements with Parents'
4.2 You can search for a Chapter
If you are not sure which service or section to look in, try 'Search' which will help you identify specific Chapters and sub headings within Chapters.
4.3 The London Child Protection Procedures
A web based version of the London Child Protection Procedures has been incorporated into this handbook.
To access the London Child Protection Procedures, click on the London Child Protection Procedures' button - on the left hand side of the screen.
5. Terminology
We believe it is crucial to use consistent terminology, which we agree with individual customers, for example:
| 'Child' or 'Young Person' | both these terms are used to mean any child under the age of 18 |
| 'Staff' or 'Carer' | means all Staff and Carers (including) whether employed or not |
| 'Parent' | means parent or person with Parental Responsibility |
| 'Regulatory Authority' | Regulatory Authority is the generic term used in this handbook to describe the independent regulatory body responsible for inspecting and regulating services e.g. Ofsted. |
| 'Social Worker' | This means the worker allocated to the child/family. If there is no allocated worker, the Duty Social Worker or Team Manager is responsible. |
6. Keywords
The handbook is accessed by practitioners from varying agencies, who may find terms that they are not familiar with. Therefore, a large glossary (Keywords) of terms such as Significant Harm (Try it: click on the highlighted text). We call them 'Keywords'. Once clicked, the definitions will appear in a new window or tab, depending on your browser. You can leave it open for reference, or close it using the "close" button at the bottom.
Many Keywords are highlighted in the body of procedures, but you can search for the Keyword you need: Go to the Keywords Index, on the left hand side of the screen.
7. Compliance
7.1 Regulatory Compliance
Every effort has been taken to ensure regulatory compliance. If you discover any errors or mistakes, please alert your manager or contact us.
7.2 W3C Compliance
This handbook meets the double A Standards of the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), for example, it can be accessed by people with high levels of visual impairment. To find out more, click on 'Display Options' on the left hand side of the screen.
8. Contact us
If you have any comments or suggestions to make about this handbook please contact us by using the button on the left hand side of the screen, from anywhere within the handbook.
9. Copyright
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. However any 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-Childcare Ltd and the London Borough of Southwark.
10. Printing and Retaining Copies
The Handbook should normally be viewed on line but can be printed, for reference only.
To print a chapter, click on the 
icon which is in the top right hand corner of the relevant procedure
Please note, the Handbook will be updated regularly, so staff should avoid retaining printed versions - hard copies are only valid for 72 hours.
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