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Blackpool Social Work and Safeguarding ServiceProcedures Manual

Policies and Procedures

 

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This contents list is sub divided into the following sections, each Section contains relevant Chapters/Procedures: (Click on the title to jump to the Section you require):

  1. All Children
  2. Case Management and Recording
  3. Children in Particular Circumstances
  4. Children in Our Care
  5. Fostering and Adoption
  6. Contacts, List of Agency Decision Makers and Appendices

1. All Children

CAPTION: All children
   

1.1

Introduction
1.1.1 Children's Services Policies and Values  
1.1.2 Children's Consultation and Participation
1.1.3 Quality Assurance Framework  
1.1.4 Capacity and Consent  
1.1.5 Equality and Diversity  


1.2

Early Help and Thresholds for Children's Social Care Services
1.2.1 Working Well with Children and Families in Lancashire  
1.2.2 Families Together Meetings  


 

1.3

Children's Social Care - Assessment and Support

  
1.3.1 Requests for Support, Contacts and Referrals  
1.3.2 Assessments and Support  
 

See also:

  
1.3.4 Section 47 Enquiries - Practice Guidance  
  See also: Blackburn with Darwen, Blackpool and Lancashire Children's Safeguarding Assurance Partnership (CSAP) Procedures  
1.3.5 Assessment and Support Team (AST) Responsibilities and Transfer Policy from AST to the Strengthening and Supporting, Children in Our Care, Children with Complex Needs and Awaken Teams  


 

1.4

Child in Need

  
1.4.1 Child in Need Plans and Reviews  


 

1.5

Legal Proceedings

  
1.5.1 Applications for Emergency Protection Orders  
1.5.2 Managing Decision Making in Relation to Legal Proceedings within Social Care - Guidance for Staff  
1.5.3 Care Planning Meetings  
1.5.4 Care and Supervision Proceedings and the Public Law Outline  
1.5.5 Protocol and Good Practice Model: Disclosure of Information in Cases of Alleged Child Abuse and Linked Criminal and Care Direction Hearings (October 2013)  
1.5.6 The Family Court in Lancashire – Guidance as to Current Practices and Procedure  
1.5.7 Lancashire Guidance Note: Non-Compliance With Directions Orders and Request for Extensions of Time for Compliance  
1.5.8 Lancashire Protocol Relating to the Disclosure To and From Family Care Proceedings  
  See: Cross-border child protection cases: the 1996 Hague Convention  
  See also: Family Justice Resource Hub (ADCS) - A resource of practical resources  


 

1.6

Complaints and Whistleblowing

  
1.6.1 Complaints and Representations  
1.6.2 Whistleblowing  
1.6.3 Concerns Resolution Protocol  


 

1.7

Notifications

  
1.7.1 Death or Serious Injury to a Child (Looked After and Child in Need)  


 

1.8

Supervision of Staff

  
1.8.1 Supervision Guidance (2020)  

2. Case Management and Recording

CAPTION: Case Manage
   
2.1 Recording Policy and Guidelines  
2.2 Case Records and Retention  
2.3 Access to Records / Subject Access Requests  
2.4 Confidentiality Policy  
2.5 Electronic Recording of Meetings and Conversations  
2.6 Photography and Sharing Images Guidance for Photographing and Recording Children During Children's Services Support Activities and Events  

3. Children in Particular Circumstances

CAPTION: Particular Circumstances
   

3.1

Children with Disabilities and Complex Health Needs
3.1.1 Children and Young People Aged 0-25 with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)  
3.1.2 Direct Payments  
3.1.3 Short Breaks  
3.1.4 Placing and Visiting Children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities or Health Conditions in Long-Term Residential Settings  


 

3.2

Children from Abroad

  
3.2.1 Unaccompanied Migrant Children and Child Victims of Trafficking and Modern Slavery  
3.2.2 Families with No Recourse to Public Funds  


 

3.3

Homelessness

  
3.3.1 Prevention of Homelessness and Provision of Accommodation for 16 and 17 year olds who may be Homeless and/or require Accommodation; and Duty to Refer  


 

3.4

Family and Friends Care

  
3.4.1 Family and Friends Care  
  See also: Looking after Someone Else's Child (GOV.UK)  
3.4.2 Private Fostering  


 

3.5

Young Carers

  
3.5.1 Young Carers  


 

3.6

Safeguarding Children

  
3.6.1 Joint Protocol for Children and Young People Who Run Away or Go Missing from Home or Care  
3.6.2 AWAKEN - Contextual Safeguarding and Missing From Home Service  


 

3.7

Relinquished Children

  
3.7.1 Relinquished Children  


 

3.8

Deprivation of Liberty and Mental Capacity

  
3.8.1 Mental Capacity Act and Deprivation of Liberty  
3.8.2 Mental Capacity Practice Resource  


 

3.9

Mental Health

  
3.9.1 Aftercare under Section 117 of the Mental Health Act 1983 Updated

4. Children in Our Care

CAPTION: Looked After
   

4.1

Decision to Look After and Care Planning
4.1.1 Blackpool Council Children Looked After and Care Leavers Sufficiency Statement Updated
4.1.2 Decision to Look After  
4.1.3 Care Planning  
4.1.4 Ceasing to Look After a Child  
4.1.5 Permanence Planning Guidance  
  See also: Fostering for Adoption, Concurrent Planning and Temporary Approval as Foster Carers of Approved Prospective Adopters  
4.1.6 Placement Planning and Disruption Meetings  
4.1.7 Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority Claims for Looked After Children  
  See also: NICE Guideline: Looked After Children and Young People  


 

4.2

Placements

  
4.2.1 Placements with Parents  
4.2.2 Placements with Connected Persons  
4.2.3 Placements in Foster Care  
4.2.4 Long Term Fostering for our Children and Young People (May 2021)  
4.2.5 Placements in Residential Care  
4.2.6 Placements in Secure Accommodation on Welfare Grounds  
4.2.7 Out of Area Placements  
4.2.8 Placements Outside England and Wales  
4.2.9 Placements in Other Arrangements  
4.2.10 Remands to Local Authority Accommodation or to Youth Detention Accommodation Updated
4.2.11 Notifications from Other Local Authorities/Placement Providers  
4.2.12 Delegation of Authority to Foster Carers and Residential Workers  
  See also: Looked After Children and Young People in Contact with Youth Justice Services  


 

4.3

Monitoring and Reviews

  
4.3.1 Social Worker Visits to Our Children  
4.3.2 Disruption Meetings Procedure for Fostering and Residential Placements  
4.3.3 Advocacy and Independent Visitors  
4.3.4 Our Children's Reviews  
4.3.5 Appointment and Role of Independent Reviewing Officers  
4.3.6 Secure Accommodation (Criteria) Reviews  
4.3.7 Notifications of Significant Events  


 

4.4

Contact and Overnight Stays

  
  See also: Delegation of Authority to Foster Carers and Residential Workers  
4.4.1 Family Time Policy, Procedures and Practice Guidance  
4.4.2 Social Visits (Including Overnight Stays)  


 

4.5

Education, School Trips and Holidays

  
  See also: Delegation of Authority to Foster Carers and Residential Workers  
4.5.1 Education of Children with a Social Worker, Looked After and Previously Looked After Children  
4.5.2 Holidays and School Trips In and Outside the UK  


 

4.6

Health and Wellbeing

  
4.6.1 Health Care Assessments and Plans  
4.6.2 Personal Care and Relationships  
4.6.3 Providing Personalised Care  
4.6.4 Positive Relationships and Behaviour Management  
4.6.5 Restrictive Physical Intervention and Restraint  
4.6.6 Risk Assessment and Planning  
4.6.7 Health and Safety  
4.6.8 Leisure Activities  


 

4.7

Change of Name and Marriage

  
4.7.1 Change of Name of a Looked After Child  
4.7.2 Marriage / Civil Parternship of a Child who is Looked After  


 

4.8

Leaving Care and Transition

  
4.8.1 Leaving Care and Transition  
4.8.2 Staying Put  
4.8.3 Transition to Adulthood Finance Policy (2020/21)  
  See also: Responsibilities of the Local Authority to Former Looked After Children and Young People in Custody  


 

4.9

Youth Justice

  
  See also: Standards for Children in the Youth Justice System (YJB)  
4.9.1 Looked After Children and Young People in Contact with Youth Justice Services Updated
4.9.2 Responsibilities of the Local Authority to Former Looked After Children and Young People in Custody  
  See: Remands to Local Authority Accommodation or to Youth Detention Accommodation  
  See also: YJB and Probation Joint National Protocol for Transitions in England  

5. Fostering and Adoption

CAPTION: Fostering and Adopt
   

5.1

Fostering Services
5.1.1 Fostering Panel  
5.1.2 Persons Disqualified from Fostering  
5.1.3 Assessment and Approvals of Foster Carers  
5.1.4 Exemptions and Extensions/Variations to Foster Carer Approval  
5.1.5 Supervision and Support of Foster Carers  
5.1.6 Training and Development of Foster Carers  
5.1.7 Review and Termination of Approval of Foster Carers  
5.1.8 Guidance for Managing Allegations and Serious Complaints against Foster Carers  
  See also: Fostering for Adoption, Concurrent Planning and Temporary Approval as Foster Carers of Approved Prospective Adopters  


 

5.2

Adoption and Permanence Services

  
  Following its launch on 01 April 2020, Adoption Lancashire & Blackpool (the Regional Adoption Agency) will recruit, assess and approve adopters, find families to meet the needs of children that are waiting to be adopted, provide adoption support services to adoptive families and run adoption panels.  
5.2.1 Assessment and Approvals of Prospective Adopters  
5.2.2 Adoption Panel  
  See also: Relinquished Children Procedure  
5.2.3 Placement for Adoption  
5.2.4 Adoption Support  
5.2.5 Monitoring and Supervision of Adoptive Placements  
5.2.6 Adoption Reviews  
5.2.7 Disruption of Adoptive Placements  
5.2.8 Allegations Against Prospective Adopters and in Relation to Children Placed for Adoption or Already Adopted  
5.2.9 Inter Country Adoption  
5.2.10 Non Agency Adoption  
5.2.11 Adoption Case Records  
5.2.12 Access to Birth Records and Adoption Case Records  
5.2.13 Intermediary Services  
5.2.14 Life Story Books Guidance  
5.2.15 Later Life Letters  
5.2.16 Fostering for Adoption, Concurrent Planning and Temporary Approval as Foster Carers of Approved Prospective Adopters  
  See also: Adoption Strategy: Achieving Excellence Everywhere  


 

5.3

Special Guardianship

  
5.3.1 Blackpool Council SGO Guidance and Procedures  
5.3.2 Applications for Special Guardianship Orders  
5.3.3 Court Reports in Adoption/Special Guardianship Guidance  

6. Contacts, List of Agency Decision Makers and Appendices

CAPTION: Local Contacts
   
6.1 Local Contacts  
6.2 Scheme of Delegation (Casework / Financial) July 2019  
6.3 Working Together to Safeguard Children (Statutory Guidance, DfE)  
6.4 Amendments