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Contents

1. Placements Process - Planned Placements
2. Placements Process - Emergency Placements
3. Children with Special Educational/Health Needs
4. Role of the External Placements Panel
5. Out of Borough Transports

1. Placements Process - Planned Placements

Emergency Placement procedures are contained in Section 2, Placements Process - Emergency Placements Procedure.

1.1 Referral to External Placements Panel

If it is assessed that a child meets the Prioritisation Criteria for External Placements, as set out in Placements Prioritisation Criteria Guidance, the social worker should notify the External Placements Panel Administrator that they wish to bring a case to the Panel.

The Panel Administrator will liaise with the Social Worker and the Panel diary to establish a date and time for the meeting. The Social Worker will forward to the Panel Administrator:

A copy of the Core Assessment with a front sheet entitled External Placement Panel Report.

1. Minutes of the most recent Looked After Review;
2. The child's Personal Education Plan;
3. Minutes of the Service Planning Meeting;
4. Any other supporting information that is considered appropriate e.g. Child's Permanence Report, Care Plan, Statement of Special Educational Needs, Health Assessment.

This information should be forwarded to the Panel Administrator at least one week prior to the Panel meeting. The Administrator will then circulate this information in advance of the meeting to the Panel Members. Except in absolute emergency cases, (see Section 2, Placements Process - Emergency Procedures) Panel will not consider a request for an External Placement if the above documentation is not available.

The Social Worker will attend the Panel meeting at the arranged time and provide additional information on the current situation as requested.  Active consideration should be given by the Team Manager as to whether they should attend.  At this meeting the Panel may;

1. Disagree with the need for an external placement and make suggestions for alternative in-house arrangements;
2. Defer a decision on an external placement due to a change of circumstances or insufficient information;
3. Agree with the need for an external placement and make recommendations regarding the type of placement.

If an external placement or additional resource is recommended then the decision will be subject to the ratification of the Designated Manager (Placements outside the Authority).

Where there is the possibility that other agencies (Education/Health) may part fund such placements, it will be the responsibility of the Panel to negotiate such arrangements.

1.2 Out of Area Placements

NB Under the Care Planning, Placement and Case Review (England) Regulations 2010, which became effective from 1 April 2011, the Nominated Officer - who is the Designated Manager (Placements outside the Authority), before ratifying the Panel's recommendation in relation to an out of area placement, must be satisfied of the following:

• That the child's wishes and feelings have been ascertained and given due consideration;
• That the placement is the most appropriate placement available for the child and consistent with the Care Plan;
• That relatives have been consulted where appropriate;
• That the area authority has been notified;
• That the Independent Reviewing Officer (IRO) has been consulted (usually the IRO will discuss with the child after the child has visited the proposed placement).

It is the responsibility of the Team Manager to ensure that the Designated Manager's decision is recorded on a decision sheet.

1.3 Deciding on the Appropriate Placement

Upon receiving ratification of the recommendation of the Panel from the Designated Manager (External Placements), the Social Worker will contact the Commissioning Unit to establish names of appropriate placement opportunities.

The Social Worker will then make further enquiries and draw up a short-list of acceptable placements to visit. Social Workers will then make full enquiries in conjunction with the Service Manager/Unit Manager/Service Manager Fostering, and draw up a short list of acceptable places.  Visits to an establishment will take place only when there is a strong likelihood that the placement will be suitable.

Wherever possible the Service Manager will take part in this visit. During such visits the External Placement Checklist should be completed and subsequently placed on the child's file.

The preferred choice of placement should be made in discussion with the Carer/child as appropriate, Team Manager and any other person who has significant interest in the placement. 

The Educational Psychologist may visit the establishment if the child is subject to a Statement of Special Education Needs (SEN), as may appropriate personnel from the Health Authority (see Section 3, Children with Special Educational/ Health Needs)

Once these enquiries are complete the Social Worker will send Part 2 of the External Placement Panel Report Form, signed by the Social Worker and their Team Manager, to the Chair of the External Placements Panel for agreement on the preferred placement option. 

Panel members will be advised of this at the next Panel and a copy of Part 2 of the External Placement Panel Report Form will be made available to them. A copy of Part 1 and Part 2 of the External Placement Panel Report will then be placed on the Child's file.

Once a preferred placement has been agreed by the External Placements Panel Chair, the Social Worker will notify the Commissioning Unit who will, in collaboration with the Social Worker and Provider, draw up and complete as necessary a Pre-Placement Agreement (PPA) and an Individual Placement Agreement (IPA) 

Where the placement is to be with a voluntary Independent Foster Care Agency, the Social Worker will (in the case of a permanent placement) need to go to the Permanent Placements Panel for the approval of the match and approval of the carer's (if not already registered with another Local Authority) In the case of a short term placement, the approval of the carer's (if not currently registered with another Local Authority) will need to be considered by the Fostering Panel.

1.4 Placement of the Child

At this point the child can be placed at the identified placement and the Social Worker should liaise with the home's manager or delegated staff/carer to ensure that their placement arrangements/procedures are followed.

The Social Worker is expected to accompany the child to the placement on the day of the placement.

1.5 Planning and other Documentation

Before the child is placed the social worker should liaise with the home's Manager/Carer and ensure that the following plans have been completed and circulated or that arrangements are in place to complete/circulate them:

• Care Plan;
• Placement Plan;
• Personal Education Plan (PEP).

It will be necessary for the social worker to ensure the child is registered with a GP, Dentist and Optician within a week of the placement, either retaining practices known to them or in the area where they are placed. See General Practitioners, Dentists and Opticians Procedure.

It will also be necessary to arrange a Health Care Assessment; see Health Care Assessments and Health Care Plans Procedure.

The social worker must ensure that the child is provided with information on using this authority's Complaints Procedure.

1.6 Notifications

Within 5 working days of making the placement the social worker should ensure the following notifications are made. Notification must be made in writing, advising of the placement decision and the name and address of the person with whom the child is to be placed:

1. The Local Authority Children's Social Care which covers the area where the placement has been made. The District Administration staff will complete the change of circumstance form and will notify by phone  or fax the Local Authority Children's Social Care which covers the area of the placement;
2. The Commissioning Unit;
3. The appropriate Health Trust;
4. The Local Education Authority;
5. All others consulted and involved in the decision-making process;
6. The child's Independent Reviewing Officer, in order to determine the date/timing of the next Looked After Review.

1.7 Social Worker Visits/Monitoring

The Team Manager will ensure that the minimum Social Work Visiting requirements are met for the child. See Social Worker Visits Procedure.

1.8 Review of the Placement

Apart from the normal Looked After Reviewing procedures, it is expectation that all external placements agreed by the External Placement Panel will be reviewed by the Panel on at least a six monthly basis.  The timing of the review will be determined by the Panel and the Social Worker advised accordingly. In preparation for the External Placements Panel Review, the Social Worker will complete the Panel Review Report Form.

1.9 Ending Placements

When it is decided to end a placement it is important for all parties concerned to ensure that the contractual terms regarding termination are adhered to. It is the responsibility of the Social Worker to ensure that plans for moving a child take account of notice periods required by the contract and that any move does not   incur additional cost to the Department if at all possible.

As soon as the Social Worker becomes aware of the possibility of a termination she/he should contact the Commissioning Unit to check the terms of notice required.  All notices of termination whether from the Provider or the Department will be in writing. Notices of termination from the Department will be issued by the Commissioning Unit, a copy of which will be sent to the Social Worker to be placed on the Child's file.

Once the placement ends, the Social Worker will notify the Commissioning Unit and the Child's Independent Reviewing Officer..  

It is essential that the Social Worker informs the Commissioning Unit of any changes to the plans of the termination, i.e. change of date.

2. Placements Process - Emergency Placements

2.1 Decision Making

Where it appears that a child should be placed in an External Resource in an Emergency, the Chair or Deputy Chair of the External Placements Panel must be contacted to convene an Emergency Panel prior to a placement.

Whenever possible the Chair will convene an Emergency Panel to discuss the emergency situation. However if this is not possible, the Social Worker must present the referral to at least three members of the Panel and the Education representative (or their deputy). The Panel should include a 3rd tier member, whose responsibility it will be to convene such a Panel. If necessary, discussions may take place via telephone.

In the case of a placement made in an emergency, the requirements of the Care Planning, Placement and Case review (England) Regulations 2010 for the approval of a Nominated Officer for out of area placements - who is the Designated Manager (Placements Outside the Authority) - still apply and s/he must be satisfied that the child's wishes and feelings have been ascertained and given due consideration, and must take steps to ensure that within 5 working days: the IRO has been informed; relatives have been consulted (where appropriate) and the area authority notified.

Any emergency placement must be notified to the Commissioning Unit as soon as possible, and preferably prior to such a placement taking place so that emergency contract arrangements can be made.

Any child subject to an emergency placement will be considered at the next Panel meeting.

2.2 Planning, Notifications, Reviewing and Ending Placements

Any Emergency Placement must be subject to an Emergency Placement Planning Meeting, within 3 working days of the placement starting; see Placement Planning Meeting Procedure.

Once placed, the procedures contained from Sections 1.4 - 1.8 must be followed.

3. Children with Special Educational/Health Needs

Where it is determined that external care away from home is, or may be, in the interests of a child, the educational element of the Care Plan should be considered in liaison, and wherever possible before placement is made, with officers of the Education Department - see Guidance on Looked After Children with Special Educational Needs Placed Out of Authority and by reference to the following:

3.1 Placements in Residential Schools or Community Homes With Education

Statemented Pupils

If a child carries a Statement of Special Education Needs (SEN) under the Education Act 1996 the establishment must:

1. Be able to meet the requirements of the Statement and be named in Part 4 of the Statement;
2. Be approved by the Secretary of State for Education and Employment under Sections 342 or 347 (1) & (3) of the Education Act 1996; or
3. The consent of the Secretary of State for the child to be educated there must be obtained in advance of their attendance.

It should be noted that, any placement of a Statemented child in a school which does not comply with the above legal requirements cannot be supported by the Education Department which would have to take action to secure the child's attendance at a suitable school.

NOTE:  Where a child is not yet Statemented but this is anticipated to be likely, either because they are currently under statutory assessment or their referral for such assessment is imminent, it will be appropriate to take cognisance, in any decision on placement, of the fact that these requirements will apply if and when a Statement is subsequently made.

3.2 Children with Special Health Needs

Where a child with special health needs is being considered for an External Care Away from Home placement it is important that the Health Authority are party to the decision making process. The Social Worker must ensure that an assessment of the child's health needs is undertaken where appropriate on a joint basis or by an appropriate health professional from the the Health services. This information will be required to establish what services are to be provided by an external provider.

Once the health assessment has been completed this information will be provided to the External Placements Panel with the Panel report form.

If it is agreed that a child with special health needs should be placed externally the Social Worker should follow the process for establishing the most appropriate placement as outlined in these procedures. Additionally however the following information should be obtained from all prospective providers:

1. What health-related inputs/therapies are usually provided in a typical care plan?
2. What specific health-related inputs/therapies will be provided for this child?
3. What is the professional staffing complement and, in particular, what are their health related qualifications?
4. Which agencies usually fund their clients e.g. health authorities, Children's Social Care, education authorities?
5. What would the weekly cost of a placement be for this child at the establishment;
6. Can they break down their charges into a health  component and what would this child's health costs be?

The above information along with the establishments brochure/statement of purpose and function will be required by the Chair of the Panel along with Part 2 of the External Placement Panel Report. The Chair of the Panel will ensure that if required, negotiations are undertaken with the Health Authority regarding external placement costs. If there are any difficulties they must be discussed with Panel.

4. Role of the External Placements Panel

The role of the External Placements Panel is to ensure that individual external placement decisions are made taking account of the overall resources and policies of the Local Authority. The Panel will ensure that all internal resource options have been explored and must be satisfied that such options are not appropriate or viable for the child concerned. This will include input from Health and Education professionals.

The Panel will also review existing placements on a regular basis to ensure that they continue to satisfy the needs of the child in the light of the overall resources and policies of the Local Authority. In doing this, Panel will take into account the recommendations of the child's most recent statutory review, the views of the responsible operational staff involved and any information from the Commissioning Unit.

On the basis of the information made available to Panel, a recommendation will be put to the Designated Manager (External Placements) by the Chair.

The Designated Manager (Placements outside the Authority) will then decide whether or not to endorse the Panel's recommendation.

Membership of Panel will include an Area Manager, a District Team Manager, a Service Manager Residential, a Service Manager Fostering, a Reviewing Officer and the Commissioning Officer and will be chaired by the Principal Service Manager. Ideally membership will also include representatives from the Health Authority and the Local Education Authority.

5. Out of Borough Transports

For arrangements re transporting of children out of borough, please see Section 6, Secure and Out of Borough Transports of the Children's Transport and Activities Procedure

End