1.1.2 Quick Guide |
Manual Version, September 2011
This 'Quick Guide' must be read before accessing the body of the manual.
Please bring any comments or difficulties that you may have to the attention of Janet Armstrong (janet.Armstrong@lincolnshire.gov.uk) or by using the contact us button on the left of your screen.
AMENDMENTS
This manual was updated in June 2011 and a further update in September 2011 to take account of the new legislation which came into force on the 1st April 2011.
See Section 3, Amendments for details of new and updated chapters.
Contents
- Display and Browser Options
- Structure of the Manual
- Amendments
- How to Find a Chapter
- Terminology
- Keywords
- Compliance
- Contact us
- Copyright
1. Display and Browser Options
Have you checked your display and browser options? If not, please go the 'display and browser options' on the left hand side of the screen.
2. Structure of the Manual
This manual contains the policies, procedures and guidance for Lincolnshire Children's Services.
In this version of the manual the principle Children's Services Policy, Values and Principles chapter is supplemented with other policy chapters all of which are contained in Section 1.1 of the manual.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.
This edition of the manual has an integrated Lincolnshire Safeguarding Children Board procedures manual (which is being significantly revised in October 2010). This means that users can click from one manual to the other without having to enter and leave different websites. Links from the Children's Services Manual to the SCB manual can be made without leaving the manual.
This edition is compliant with and contains an interactive copy of Working Together to Safeguard Children 2010.
3. Amendments
This fifth operational version of the manual has been revised and updated.
Please note that Lincolnshire are reverting to the term Looked After Child as opposed to Child in Public Care. Tri.X have endeavoured to make the required changes in the manual but if you notice an error on relation to this change, please use the Contact Us button on the left of the screen to bring this to our attention.
The table below gives a full list of the new and revised chapters.
June 2011 Update
| New Chapters and features | |
| Meeting the Needs | This chapter has been produced by Lincolnshire Safeguarding Children Board. |
| Child in Need Plans and Reviews for Children with Disability | This chapter is specifically with regard to children with a disability. |
| Residence Order Guidance | This chapter has been introduced to supplement other Residence Order Procedures. |
| Inter Country Adoption | This chapter explains the process for assessment and approval of applicants resident in the UK who wish to adopt a child who is resident abroad |
| Young People and Remands | A separate Youth Offending section had been added to the manual. |
| Young People in Police Stations | |
| Young People in Criminal Courts | |
| Young People Custodial Sentences | |
| Electronic Monitoring | |
| Homelessness 16/17 Year Olds Protocol | This chapter deals with the Provision of Accommodation for 16 and 17 year old young people who may be homeless and/or require accommodation. |
| Joint Protocol: MAPPA and MARAC | This chapter explains aims to identify how the two multi agency forums will work together to ensure that public protection and reduction of reoffending is achieved. |
| Protocol for the Management of Residential Placement Contracts for Looked After Children | This protocol is to confirm the arrangements for managing contracts where children/young people are placed in Residential homes |
| Protocol for the Management of Safeguarding Issues, Breaches of Contract and Other Performance Management Issues in Relation to Independent Residential Care for Looked After Children | This chapter confirms the actions required by commissioners and Social Workers in the event of concerns about safeguarding or performance issues in relation to a young person's placement. |
| Promoting Health and Wellbeing of Looked After Children Protocol | This is a joint protocol between Lincolnshire County Council and Lincolnshire Community Health Services. |
| Updated Chapters | |
| Chapter Name | Change |
| Matching Children with Foster Carers Policy | This chapter has been updated to reflect legislative changes which came into force 1st April 2011. |
| Children and Young People who are Missing | This chapter now links directly to the up to date Lincolnshire Safeguarding Procedures. |
| Child in Need Plans and Reviews | This chapter has been updated to reflect legislative changes which came into force 1st April 2011. |
| Residence Order Procedure | This chapter has been significantly updated. |
| Residence Order Payment Review | The payment review process has been updated. |
| Health Care Assessments and Health Care Plans | This chapter has been updated to reflect legislative changes which came into force 1st April 2011. |
| Special Guardianship Orders | The Financial Information Pack Appendix has been updated. |
| Special Guardianship Payment Review | This chapter has been significantly updated. |
| Assessment and Approval of Adopters | This chapter has been updated to reflect legislative changes which came into force 1st April 2011. |
| Adoption Panel | This chapter has been updated to reflect legislative changes which came into force 1st April 2011. |
| Placement for Adoption | This chapter has been updated to reflect legislative changes which came into force 1st April 2011. |
| Adoption Case Records | This chapter has been updated to reflect legislative changes which came into force 1st April 2011. |
| Adoption Support | This chapter has been updated to reflect legislative changes which came into force 1st April 2011. |
| Intermediary Services | This chapter has been updated to reflect legislative changes which came into force 1st April 2011. |
| Criminal Injuries Compensation | This chapter has been significantly updated. |
September 2011 Update
| New Chapters and Features | |
| Chapter Name | Information |
| Direct Placement Scheme - Adoption Services Procedure | This new chapter relates to the Direct Payment of a child, with adopters on the basis of parental consent, prior to any legal consent or order. |
| Financial Assistance to Children in Need Procedure | This chapter replaces existing chapter originally in the manual. |
| Friends and Visitors Procedure - Children's Homes Procedure | This chapter applies to all friends and informal visitors of young people in a residential care setting in Lincolnshire. |
| Intensive Supervision and Surveillance Orders Procedure | This guidance is intended to assist YOT and Children’s Services staff in the implementation of ISSO. |
| Parent and Child Foster Care Placement Procedure | This chapter relates to the provision of Foster Care Placements for Parent and Child Foster Care. |
| Whistleblowing - Foster Carers Procedure | This chapter applies to Foster Carers. |
| Updated Chapters | |
| Chapter Name | Change |
| Assessment and Approval of Foster Carers Procedure | This chapter was slightly amended to take account of the changes in the Fostering Services (England) Regulations 2011, and Associated Guidance and National Minimum Standards. |
| Children's Reviews Procedure | This chapter was slightly amended in regard to Looked After Reviews should take place within 20 days of placement. |
| Children's Services Policy, Values and Principles | This chapter should be read in its entirety. |
| Contact with Parents and Siblings Procedure | This chapter was slightly amended in regard to changes in the Care Planning, Placement and Case Review (England) Regulations. |
| Contact with Relatives and Friends Procedure | This chapter was slightly amended to take account of the term Connected Person. |
| Decision to Look After Procedure | This chapter reflects the changes in the Care Planning, Placement and Case Review (England) Regulations and should be read in its entirety. |
| Emergency Foster Placement Procedure | This chapter was amended in regard to the change from 72 hours to 5 days for a meeting to take place to plan the placement. |
| First Aid, Home Remedies and Prescribed Medicines Procedure | This chapter was slightly amended in regard to the responsibilities of children’s homes and foster carers. |
| Fostering Panel Procedure | This chapter was significantly amended in regard to the changes in the Fostering Services (England) Regulations 2011, and Associated Guidance and National Minimum Standards and should be read in it entirety. |
| Health Care Assessments and Health Care Plans Procedure | This chapter was significantly amended to take account of the changes in the Care Planning, Placement and Case Review (England) Regulations and should be read in its entirety. |
| Kinship Care Policy | This chapter was slightly amended to reflect the term Connected Person. |
| Leaving Care Procedure | This chapter was significantly amended in September 2011 in regard to the changes in the Care Leavers (England) Regulations 2010 and Planning Transition to Adulthood for Care Leavers Guidance and should be read in its entirety. |
| Leaving Care Guidance | This chapter was slightly amended to reflect the term Looked After Children. |
| Limit on the Number of Children in a Foster Home, Exemptions and Extensions of Approval Procedure | This chapter was slightly amended in regard to a child being placed with a foster carer for up to 6 days. |
| Looked After Children Policy | This chapter was slightly updated in September 2011 in regard to the terms, Connected Person and changing Children in Public Care to Looked After Children. |
| Personal Education Plans (PEP) Procedure | This chapter was significantly amended in September 2011 to take account of the changes in the Care Planning, Placement and Case Review (England) Regulations and should be read in its entirety. |
| Permanence Planning Procedure | This chapter was slightly amended in September 2011 to reflect the term Connected Person. |
| Persons Disqualified from Fostering Procedure | This chapter was significantly amended in September 2011 to take account of the changes in the Fostering Services (England) Regulations 2011, Associated Guidance and National Minimum Standards. |
| Placements with Parents Procedure | This chapter was significantly updated in September 2011to take account of the changes in the Care Planning, Placement and Case Review (England) Regulations 2010 and Associated Guidance (Including the IRO Handbook) and should be read in its entirety. |
| Placements in Residential Care Procedure | This chapter was significantly updated in September 2011 in regard to the changes in the Care Planning, Placement and Case Review (England) Regulations 2010 and Associated Guidance (including the IRO Handbook) and should be read in its entirety. |
| Placements with Connected Person Procedure (formerly known as Regulation 38) | This chapter was significantly updated in September 2011 to take account of the changes in the Care Planning, Placement and Case Review (England) Regulations 2010 and Associated Guidance (including the IRO Handbook) and should be read in its entirety. |
| Post Placement Arrangements Procedure | This chapter was slightly updated in September 2011 in regard to Placement Plan recorded on the Placement Information Record. |
| References and Checks Guidance | This chapter was slightly amended in September 2011 in regard to checking the applicant has a right to work in the UK. |
| Requesting a Foster Placement Procedure | This chapter was significantly amended in September 2011 to reflect the changes in the Care Planning, Placement and Case Review (England) Regulations 2010 and Associated Guidance (including the IRO Handbook) and should be read in its entirety. |
| Review of Foster Carers Procedure | This chapter was slightly amended in regard to frequency. |
| Staying Put Policy | This chapter was slightly amended in regard to Children and Young Peoples Plan. |
| Staying Put Procedure | This chapter was slightly amended to reflect the term Looked After Children. |
| Supervision of Foster Carers Procedure | This chapter was slightly amended in regard to Training and Development Plans. |
| Support for Foster Carers Facing Allegations Procedure | This chapter was significantly amended in September 2011 to take account of the changes in the Fostering Services (England) Regulations 2011, Associated Guidance and National Minimum Standards and should be read in its entirety. |
| Supported Living Policy | This chapter was slightly amended in regard to support for young persons disability or needs arising from being in custody or as a result of entering the country as an unaccompanied asylum seeker. |
| The Review of the Child's Plan for Looked After Children | This chapter was significantly amended in September 2011 to take account of the changes in the Care Planning, Placement and Case Review (England) Regulations 2010 and Associated Guidance (including the IRO Handbook) and should be read in its entirety. |
| The Review of the Placement Plan (Looked After Child) | This chapter was slightly amended in regard to the Placement Plan recorded on the Placement Information Record. |
| Training of Foster Carers Procedure | This chapter was significantly amended in September 2011 and should be read in its entirety. |
| Visits to Children Guidance | This chapter was slightly amended in September 2011. |
| October 2011 amendment | |
| Guidance on Completing a CAF Form | Chapter 1.2.3 removed |
| Interface Between Children's Social Care and TAC | Chapter 1.2.4 removed |
| November 2011 amendment | |
| Operational Management and Supervision Arrangement | Chapter 1.3.5 amended and Reflective Tool for Social Work Practice Guidance PDF added. |
| January 2012 amendment | |
| Assessment and Approval of Adopters | This chapter was the subject of an amendment. |
| Placement for Adoption | This chapter was the subject of an amendment. |
| Foster Carer's Who Wish to Adopt the Child they are Fostering | This chapter was added to the manual. |
| Disaster Recovery Plan for Adoption Services | This chapter was added to the manual. |
| Managing Allegations in Respect of Children Placed for Adoption, Children Receiving Adoption Support Services, Adopters Awaiting Placement or Allegations of Historical Abuse | This chapter was added to the manual. |
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 manual contains procedures categorised under a number of Service Sectors, like 'Services to Looked After Children'.
SECTIONS: Within each Service Sector you will find a Section (group of procedures) like 'Children with Disabilities'.
CHAPTERS: Under each Section, you'll find individual Chapters/Procedures e.g. 'Direct Payments'.
4.2 You can search for a Chapter
If you aren't sure which part to look in, try 'Search' which will help you identify specific chapters and sub headings within chapters.
5.Terminology
We believe it is crucial to use consistent terminology, which we agree with individual customers, for example: Parent
| 'Home' and 'Resource' | this is a generic term which means Children’s Home, Foster Home. |
| '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. |
| 'Manager' | means Team Manager, it also means YOT Team Manager. |
| 'Line Manager' | means the first Line Manager of a team/service. |
| 'Parent' | means person with Parental Responsibility. |
| 'Regulatory Authority' | Regulatory Authority is the generic term used in this manual to describe the independent regulatory body responsible for inspecting and regulating services e.g. Regulatory Authority. |
| '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 manual 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 Core Assessment (Try it: click on the highlighted text). We call them 'Keywords'.
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. Or, use 'Search'.
7. Compliance
7.1 Regulatory Compliance
Every effort has been taken to ensure regulatory compliance. If you discover any errors or mistakes, please alert Janet Armstrong (janet.Armstrong@lincolnshire.gov.uk) or Contact us.
7.2 W3C Compliance
This manual 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 manual please contact us by using the button on the left hand side of the screen, from anywhere within the manual.
Janet Armstrong (janet.Armstrong@lincolnshire.gov.uk)
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 Lincolnshire Children's Services.
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