7.1.1 Designated Managers

See Placements for Adoption Procedure

The manager who must authorise Inter Agency Adoption Placements

Designated Manager(s):

Assistant Director (C&F)

See Inter Country Adoption Procedure

The manager who must authorise Inter Country Adoption Placements

Designated Manager(s):

Assistant Director (C&F)

See Placements for Adoption Procedure

The manager who must authorise the following: 
Financial Support for Adoptive Parents, Adoption Plans, Counselling for extended families.

Designated Manager(s):

Service Manager, Adoption Team

See Placements for Adoption Procedure

The Manager who approves Adoption Panel recommendations in relation to children, prospective adopters and matching.

Designated Manager(s):

Assistant Director

See Care Plan Guidance and Decision to Look After a Child (Care and Permanence Planning) Procedure

Care Plans; the manager who must endorse and sign Care Plans in relation to Accommodated Children

Designated Manager(s):

Team Manager/Assistant Team Manager

See Care Plan Guidance and Decision to Look After a Child (Care and Permanence Planning) Procedure

Care Proceedings; the manager who may authorise a Care Plan in relation to Care Proceedings

Designated Manager(s):

Divisional Manager

See Change of Name of a Looked After Child Procedure

Change of name of Looked After Child; the manager who may authorise the taking of Court Proceedings where parental agreement is not forthcoming

Designated Manager(s):

Divisional Manager

See Representations and Complaints Procedure

There are two designated managers/officers in relation to Complaints.  Designated Officer (Complaints), who receives and oversees the Complaints Procedure.  Designated Manager (Complaints), who is a senior officer responsible for agreeing the appointment of Investigating Officers and for adjudicating the outcome of complaints.

Designated Officer (Complaints) is:

Quality & Improvements Manager

The Designated Manager (Complaints) is:

Assistant Director (C&F)

See Contact with Parents and Siblings Procedure

The manager who may approve Risk Assessments in relation to Contact of Looked After Children with Parents

Designated Manager(s):

Team Manager/Assistant Team Manager

See Contact with Parents and Siblings Procedure

Suspension or termination of contact between a Looked After child and Parents; the manager who may authorise termination

Designated Manager(s):

Director delegated to Assistant Director

See Hair and Skin Care Procedure

The manager who may authorise body piercing of Looked After Children

Designated Manager(s):

Divisional Manager

The Chair of the Fostering Panel

Designated Manager(s):

Independent Chair, i.e. Senior Manager of other Local Authority

See Assessment and Approval of Foster Carers Procedure

Approval of Foster Carers; the manager who may approve the recommendations of the Fostering Panel

Designated Manager(s):

Divisional Manager/Children's Resources

See Limit of the number of Children in Foster Homes Procedure

Approval to exceed upon recommendation of Fostering Panel; the manager who may approve the recommendations of the Fostering Panel to exceed the usual limit

Designated Manager(s):

Divisional Manager/Children's Resources

Approval for an interim exemption, in an emergency; the manager who may approve an interim exemption

Designated Manager(s):

Service Manager, Fostering

See HIV and AIDS Procedure

HIV and AIDS; the manager who may authorise test for Looked After Children

Designated Manager(s):

Divisional Manager

See Marriage of a Looked After Child Procedure

Marriage of a Looked After Child; the manager who may authorise it

Designated Manager(s):

Director delegated to Assistant Director (C&F)

Divisional Manager Children’s Resources

Team Manager, Children’s Specialist Services

See Holidays and School Trips Outside the UK Procedure

Passports for Looked After Children, the manager who may authorise passports

Designated Manager(s):

Team Manager

See Leaving the Looked After Service Procedure

Pathway Plan; the manager who should approve them

Designated Manager(s):

Team Manager,/Assistant Team Manager

See Guidance on Permanency Planning

Permanence Plan; the manager who can approve the recommendations of the Adoption or Fostering Panel in relation to Permanence Plans

Designated Manager(s):

Adoption:   Assistant Director (C&F)

Fostering: Chair of Fostering Panel

See Placements outside England and Wales Procedure

Placements outside England and Wales, the manager who may authorise the placement, including emigration, of a child outside England and Wales

Designated Manager(s):

Director delegated to Assistant Director (C&F)

See External Placements Procedure

Out of Authority Placements: the manager who can authorise out of authority placements of children (except Secure Accommodation)

See Placements in Secure Accommodation Procedure

Designated Manager(s):

Assistant Director (C&F)

See Placement with Parents Procedure

Placement with Parents, Planned: the manager who may authorise such placements

Designated Manager(s):

Divisional Manager, Fieldwork Team

Placement with Parents, Unplanned: the manager who may authorise such placements

Designated Manager(s):

Divisional Manager

See Family and Friends (Connected Persons) Fostering Procedure

Placement with Connected Persons; the manager who may authorise such placements

Designated Manager(s):

Divisional Manager

See Placements in Secure Accommodation Procedure and Secure Accommodation (Criteria) Reviews Procedure

Secure Accommodation: the manager who may authorise the placement of a child in secure accommodation, including placements up to 72 hours without a Court Order; and who should be consulted where a Secure Accommodation Criteria Review Panel has recommended that the criteria for a child's placement in Secure Accommodation no longer apply.

Designated Manager(s):

Director delegated to Assistant Director (C&F)

See Private Fostering Procedure

The manager who may authorise recommendations made by the Fostering Panel in relation to Private Foster Carers

Designated Manager(s):

Area Divisional Manager

See Guidance on Permanency Planning

For approval of allowances in relation to children placed with relatives or friends under a Residence Order 

Designated Manager(s):

Permanency Panel

See Review of Foster Carers Procedure

The manager who will approve the recommendations of the Fostering Panel in regard to the review of foster carers

Designated Manager(s):

Divisional Manager/Children's Resources

See Holidays and School Trips Outside the UK Procedure

School or Educational Trips/Holidays Abroad; the manager who may authorise such trips for Looked After Children, including Passports

Designated Manager(s):

Team Manager

See Special Guardianship Procedure

The manager who may authorise Special Guardianship Support

Designated Manager(s):

Service Manager/Adoptions

Abduction or attempted abduction of a child receiving services, the manager who should be notified

Designated Manager(s):

Assistant Director/Divisional Manager/Team Manager

Police to be notified via Family Protection Unit

Attempted suicide of a child receiving services, the manager who should be notified

Designated Manager(s):

Assistant Director/Area Divisional Manager/Team Manager

See Death or Serious Illness/Injury in Relation to a Child in Need Procedure

Death or Serious Injury of a Child; the manager and other agencies who should be notified

Note: There are different notifications procedures if a Child in Need suffers from serious accident, illness or the outbreak of any infectious of Notifiable Disease.  See Designated Manager (Serious Illness) below.

Designated Manager(s):

Divisional Manager/Children's Resources/Chair of Serious Cases/Assistant Director

Other Agencies:

Also, if a child is Looked After, the following agencies must be notified: The Secretary of State, Regulatory Authority, Department of Education and Health Authority.

The manager who may be notified where it is not possible to allocate a case

Designated Manager(s):

Divisional Manager

See Contacting The Police Procedure

Where an Incident results in the police being called to provide assistance in a Children's Home or Foster Home; the manager must be notified.

Designated Manager(s):

Service Manager Residential Services/Service Manager (Fostering)

Other Agencies:

Also, it will be necessary to notify the Regulatory Authority.

Involvement or suspected involvement of a Looked After Child in prostitution or sexual exploitation.

Designated Manager(s):

Team Manager/Area Divisional Manager.  Also, partner agencies. (See S23 of DSCB (previously ACPC) procedures)

Other Agencies:

Also, if the child is placed in a Children's Home or Foster Home, the Regulatory Authority and Police must be notified.

Referral to the Secretary of State under Sec 2 (1) (a) of the Protection of Children Act 1999 (a) of an individual working at the home: the people/agencies who should be notified

Designated Manager(s):

Divisional Manager/Children's Resources

Other Agencies:

Also, if the Child is placed in a Children's Home or Foster Home, the Regulatory Authority must be notified and Protection of Children Team.

Where a Child Protection allegation is made in relation to a member of staff; the manager who must be notified (also refer to the "Positions of Trust" document)

Where a Child Protection allegation is made in relation to a child in receipt of a service; the manager who must be notified

Designated Manager(s):

Assistant Director and Divisional Manager

If the child is placed in a Children's Home or Foster Home, see additional managers/agencies that should be notified:

Other Managers/Agencies:

Team Manager

Service Manager

Residential/Fostering Registered Manager

Police

Police Family Protection Unit (See DSCB (previously ACPC) procedures)

Also, if the child is placed in a Children's Home or Foster Home, the Regulatory Authority must be notified.

Details to follow (Care Planning Regs will indicate this)

Where an Incident results in serious damage being caused to a Children's Home or Foster Home; the manager must be notified.

Designated Manager(s):

Service Manager, Residential/Fostering

Other Agencies:

If the Police are called for assistance, the Regulatory Authority must also be notified.

See Death or Serious Illness/Injury in Relation to a Child in Need Procedure

Serious illness or serious accident sustained by a Looked After Child; 

Outbreak of any infectious or Notifiable disease relating to a Looked After Child that, in the opinion of a registered medical practitioner, is sufficiently serious to require notification.

NB: Definition of Notifiable diseases is contained in Appendix 2, Keywords

Note: There are different notifications procedures if a Child in Need dies or is seriously injured. See Designated Manager (Death or Serious Injury) above.

Designated Manager(s):

Appropriate Service Manager/Divisional Manager and Assistant Director

Other Agencies:

Also, if the child is Looked After, the Regulatory Authority must be notified. The Health Authority must additionally be notified if there is an Outbreak of an Infectious or Notifiable Disease.

Allegation of a serious offence committed by a Looked After Child.

Designated Manager(s):

Divisional Manager and Assistant Director

Other Agencies:

Also, if the child is placed in a Children's Home or Foster Home, the Police must be notified.