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Contents

1. Purpose of Placement Planning Meetings
2. Frequency of Placement Planning Meetings
3. Convening and Chairing
4. Attendance
5. Conducting the Meeting

1. Purpose of Placement Planning Meetings

Placement Planning Meetings should be undertaken in relation to all Looked After Children.

Normally, Placement Planning Meetings provide an opportunity to consider whether the Placement Plan/Placement Information Record for a Looked After Child continue to be appropriate.

In exceptional circumstances, an Emergency Placement Planning Meeting must be convened; the exceptional circumstances are:

1. In the event of an Emergency (Unplanned) Placement of a child in a foster home, children's home, external placement or secure accommodation;. 
2. After serious Incidents or in the light of a significant event, involving a Looked After Child, which suggests the child's placement may be unsuitable;
3. If a child has returned from being absent/missing for 3 days or more, or has been absent/missing on three occasions (See Missing Children Procedure).

2. Frequency of Placement Planning Meetings

Normally, Placement Planning Meetings should normally be convened at the following intervals:

1. Within 5 working days of the placement starting by which time the Placement Plan for the child should have been completed;
2. During a Looked After Review or within 7 working days of it;
3. At other intervals agreed between the social worker and provider/carer.

An Emergency Placement Planning Meeting must be held within 3 working days of an Emergency (Unplanned) Placement in residential care or foster care, or within 3 working days of a serious Incident or significant event which suggests a Looked After Child's placement may be unsuitable.

3. Convening and Chairing

3.1 Convening Placement Planning Meetings

Placement Planning Meetings in relation to children placed in Children's Homes should be convened by the Home's Manager.  Placement Planning Meetings in relation to all other Looked After Children should be convened by the social worker.

Meetings should preferably be conducted where the child is placed. 

3.2 Chairing Placement Planning Meetings

Emergency Placement Planning Meetings in relation to children placed in Children's Homes should be chaired by the Home's Manager or his/her delegate. 

Placement Planning Meetings in relation to all other Looked After Children should be chaired by the social worker or his/her manager, if it seems appropriate.

4. Attendance

The following people should attend or contribute to Placement Planning Meetings:

1. The child's social worker;
2. The child;
3. The child's parents;
4. A representative from the placement/home; who may be the foster carer(s), a Link/Key Worker and/or Supervising Social Worker (if the child is placed in foster care).

5. Conducting the Meeting

Normally, the purpose of the meeting is to consider the appropriateness of the placement and to update the arrangements set out in the Placement Plan.

Where an Emergency Placement Planning Meeting (see Section 1, Purpose of Placement Planning Meetings) has been convened, other matters must be considered as followed:

1. Whether the placement is suitable for the child, having considered the needs and interests of all the other children in the placement.
   
   If there are concerns about the suitability of the placement, consideration should be given to the following:
   1. Whether it is possible to sustain the placement until the next Looked After Review by, for example, providing additional support to the placement;
   2. Bringing forward the date of the next Looked After Review.
   3. Ending the placement and seeking a more suitable alternative.
2. If the placement appears to be appropriate, the child's Care Plan, Placement Plan/Placement Information Record and home's own/internal placement plan must be fully completed to reflect the arrangements for the child whilst placed in the home.  
   
   Where the meeting has been convened as a result of an Incident, consideration should be given to the need for a Strategy to reduce or prevent re-occurrence.  If it is not possible to do this, a further Placement Planning Meeting must be convened within 7 days of the placement starting.
   
   In all cases, the chairperson should consider whether it is necessary to undertake the following:
   1. Consultations as set out in Decision to Look After (Care and Permanence Planning) Procedure;
   2. he need for the required approval of an out of area placement - see the External Placements Procedure;
   3. The need for the Health Trust, Local Education Authority and Children's Social Care to be notified of the placemen;
   4. The need for a Looked After Review to be arranged;.
   5. The need to arrange a Health Care Assessment and/or register the child with a GP, Dentist or Optician, as required by Health Care Assessments and Health Care Plans Procedure and General Practitioners, Dentists and Opticians Procedure;
   6. If the child is placed in Secure Accommodation, (see Placement in Secure Accommodation Procedure) the chairperson must ensure there is an Exit Plan, ensuring that there is continuity of care, education and, where appropriate, access to professional (e.g. psychiatric) support when the child leaves secure accommodation.

The chairperson should also ensure that the child's other plans/records are fully completed and circulated as required, for example: 

• A Personal Education Plan, which should be available by the first Looked After Review;
• A Chronology.

End