Quick Guide |
October 2011
This 'Quick Guide' must be read before accessing the body of the manual.
See Section 3, Amendments for a comprehensive list of the changes included in this update.
Contents
- Display and Browser Options
- Structure of the Manual
- Amendments
- How to find a Chapter
- Terminology
- Keywords
- Compliance
- Contact us
- Copyright
- Printing and Retaining Copies
1. Display and Browser Options
People with a visual impairment may have difficulty accessing this Manual.
To change the size of the text/layout - please use these accessibility buttons
which are on menu bar on the left side of every screen. Click a larger button to increase your text size, the very largest being high visibility mode.
2. Structure of the Manual
This manual contains the policies, procedures and guidance for Dudley Children and Families procedures Manual. In this manual, all Dudley Children and Families Policies, Values and Principles are located in one Chapter, called 'Values', which is available from the left hand side of the screen and users are required to familiarise themselves with before proceeding to the main body 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.
3. Amendments
This version of the Procedures Manual has been updated in relation to the following Regulations, Guidance and Standards:
- The Care Planning, Placement and Case Review (England) Regulations 2010 (Care Planning Regulations) and Associated Guidance;
- The Care Leavers (England) Regulations 2010 and Associated Guidance;
- The Children's Homes (Amendment) Regulations 2011, Associated Guidance (Volume 5) and National Minimum Standards (NMS);
- The Fostering Services Regulations 2011, Associated Guidance (Volume 4) and National Minimum Standards (NMS);
- The Adoption Guidance and National Minimum Standards.
These came into effect on 1st April 2011. For a summary of the changes see Amendment Table below.
See National Minimum Standards website to access a web enabled version of the Children's Homes, Fostering and Adoption National Minimum Standards.
Where a chapter has been amended, it is marked as 'updated' in the Contents list and at the top of each chapter. Some new chapters have been introduced as a result of the above legislation; they are marked as 'new' in the contents list.
The table below sets out the new and amended chapters.
| New Chapters and features | |
| Chapter Name | Change |
| Family and Friends Policy | This chapter is a new policy which was agreed in September 2011. |
| Children in Need Allocation Policy | This chapter is a new policy agreed by Dudley MBC. |
| Young People and Sexual Relationships Policy | This is a new policy agreed by Dudley MBC. |
| The Sufficiency Duty in relation to Accommodation for Looked After Children Procedure | This chapter was added to take account of the Section 22G Children Act 1989 and the Statutory Guidance on Securing Sufficient Accommodation for Looked After Children (2010), which came into force on 1 April 2011. |
| Appointment and Role of the Independent Reviewing Officer Procedure | This chapter was added to take account of the Care Planning, Placement and Case Review (England) Regulations 2010 and Associated Guidance (Including the IRO Handbook) which came into force on 1 April 2011. |
| Managing Allegations, Concerns and Complaints against Foster Carers Procedure | This chapter was added and has been agreed by the Dudley Safeguarding Children Board. |
| Bedroom Sharing in Foster Care Procedure | Four chapters have been added on this issue:
|
| Responsibilities of the Local Authority to Former Looked After Children and Young People in Custody Procedure | This chapter was added to take account of the Care Planning, Placement and Case Review (England) Regulations 2010 and Associated Guidance which came into force on 1 April 2011. |
| Looked After Children in Contact with Youth Justice Services Procedure | This chapter was added to take account of the Care Planning, Placement and Case Review (England) Regulations 2010 and Associated Guidance which came into force on 1 April 2011. |
| Case Records for Looked After Children Procedure | This chapter was added to take account of the Care Planning, Placement and Case Review (England) Regulations 2010 and Associated Guidance which came into force on 1 April 2011. |
| Short Breaks Procedure | This chapter has been added to take account of the Care Planning, Placement and Case Review (England) Regulations 2010; the updated Children Act 1989 Guidance and Regulations Volume 2: Care Planning, Placement and Case Review; and Short Breaks: Statutory Guidance on How to Safeguard and Promote the Welfare of Disabled Children Using Short Breaks. All of the above are effective from 1 April 2011. |
| Safeguarding Disabled Children Practice Guidance | This chapter summarises the government guidance issued in 2009 on this issue. |
| Trans - racial Fostering Placements Guidance | This chapter is a new policy agreed by Dudley MBC. |
| Updated Chapters | |
| Chapter Name | Change |
| Education of Looked After Children Procedure | This chapter was amended to incorporate the changes made by the Care Planning, Placement and Case Review (England) Regulations 2010 and associated Guidance, which came into force on 1 April 2011. |
| Process of Referral: Family Assessment Centre Procedure | This chapter was updated to include requirement for progress meeting to be held regularly rather than weekly. |
| Route Map for Looked After Children | This chapter was amended to incorporate the changes made by the Care Planning, Placement and Case Review (England) Regulations 2010 and associated Guidance, which came into force on 1 April 2011. |
| Decision to Look After a Child (Care and Permanence Planning) Procedure | This chapter was amended to incorporate the changes made by the Care Planning, Placement and Case Review (England) Regulations 2010 and associated Guidance, which came into force on 1 April 2011. |
| Placements in Foster Care (within the Borough) Procedure | This chapter was amended to incorporate the changes made by the Care Planning, Placement and Case Review (England) Regulations 2010, Fostering Services Regulations 2011 and associated Guidance, which came into force on 1 April 2011. |
| Placements in Children's Homes (within the Borough) Procedure | This chapter was amended to incorporate the changes made by the Care Planning, Placement and Case Review (England) Regulations 2010, Children’s Homes Regulations 2011 and associated Guidance, which came into force on 1 April 2011. |
| Placement with Parents Procedure | This chapter replaced the previous chapter in September 2011, to incorporate the changes made by the Care Planning, Placement and Case Review (England) Regulations 2010 and associated Guidance, which came into force on 1 April 2011. |
| Family and Friends (Connected Persons) Fostering Procedure | This chapter was amended to reflect the Care Planning, Placement and Case Review (England) Regulations 2010 and Associated Guidance, which came into force on 1 April 2011. |
| Placements for Adoption Procedure | This chapter was amended as a result of the Adoption Guidance and the National Minimum Standards which became effective from 1 April 2011. |
| Placements in Secure Accommodation Procedure | This chapter was amended to incorporate the changes made by the Care Planning, Placement and Case Review (England) Regulations 2010 and associated Guidance, which came into force on 1 April 2011. |
| External Placements Procedure | This chapter was amended to reflect the Care Planning, Placement and Case Review (England) Regulations 2010 and Associated Guidance, which came into force on 1 April 2011. |
| Placements in Independent Fostering Agencies – Meeting the Requirements of Regulations 22 and 26 of the Care Planning, Placement and Case Review (England) Regulations 2010 Procedure | This chapter was amended to reflect the Care Planning, Placement and Case Review (England) Regulations 2010 and Associated Guidance, which came into force on 1 April 2011. |
| Placement Planning Meeting Procedure | This chapter was amended to reflect the Care Planning, Placement and Case Review (England) Regulations 2010 and Associated Guidance, which came into force on 1 April 2011. |
| Looked After Review Procedure | This chapter was amended to reflect the Care Planning, Placement and Case Review (England) Regulations 2010 and Associated Guidance (including the IRO Handbook), which came into force on 1 April 2011. |
| Absent/Missing Children (Looked After) Procedure | This chapter was amended in October 2011 to reflect the Children’s Homes (Amendment) Regulations 2011, Fostering Services Regulations 2011, Associated Guidance and National Minimum Standards. |
| Restrictive Physical Intervention Procedure | This chapter was amended in October 2011 to reflect the Children’s Homes (Amendment) Regulations 2011, Associated Guidance and National Minimum Standards. |
| Internet Safety Policy for Looked After Children | |
| Fostering Panel Policy | This chapter was amended to reflect the Fostering Services Regulations 2011 and National Minimum Standards 2011, which came into force on 1 April 2011. |
| Fostering Panel Procedure | This chapter was amended to reflect the Fostering Services Regulations 2011 and National Minimum Standards 2011, which came into force on 1 April 2011. |
| Assessment and Approval of Foster Carers Procedure | This chapter was amended to reflect the Fostering Services Regulations 2011 and National Minimum Standards 2011, which came into force on 1 April 2011. |
| Persons Disqualified from Fostering Procedure | This chapter was amended to reflect the Fostering Services Regulations 2011, which came into force on 1 April 2011. |
| Supervision of Foster Carers Procedure | This chapter was amended to reflect the Fostering Services Regulations 2011 and the National Minimum Standards for Fostering 2011, which came into force on 1 April 2011. |
| Health Care Assessments and Health Care Plans Procedure | This chapter was amended to reflect the Care Planning, Placement and Case Review (England) Regulations 2010 and Associated Guidance, which came into force on 1 April 2011. |
| Notifiable Events Procedure | This chapter was amended to reflect the Fostering Services Regulations 2011 and Associated Guidance, which came into force on 1 April 2011. |
| Adoption Panel Policy | This chapter was amended as a result of the Adoption Guidance and the National Minimum Standards which became effective from 1 April 2011. |
| Assessment and Approval of Agency Adoptive Parents Procedure | This chapter was amended as a result of the Adoption Guidance and the National Minimum Standards which became effective from 1 April 2011. |
| Adoption Case Records Procedure | This chapter was amended as a result of the Adoption Guidance and the National Minimum Standards which became effective from 1 April 2011. |
| Adopted Persons' Access to Birth Records and Adoption Case Records Procedure | This chapter was amended as a result of the Adoption Guidance and the National Minimum Standards which became effective from 1 April 2011. |
| Monitoring and Supervision of Adoptive Placements Procedure | This chapter was amended as a result of the Adoption Guidance and the National Minimum Standards which became effective from 1 April 2011. |
| Leaving the Looked After Service Procedure | This chapter was amended to reflect the Care Planning, Placement and Case Review (England) Regulations, 2010, Care Leavers (England) Regulations 2010 and the Planning Transition to Adulthood for Care Leavers Guidance (all of which became effective from 1 April 2011.) |
| Social Worker Visits Procedure | This chapter was amended to reflect the Care Planning, Placement and Case Review (England) Regulations, 2010 and Associated Guidance, which came into force on 1 April 2011. |
| Children's Bedrooms Procedure | This chapter was amended to reflect the Children’s Homes (Amendment) Regulations 2011, Fostering Services Regulations 2011 and the National Minimum Standards for Fostering 2011, which came into force on 1 April 2011. |
| Advocacy and Independent Visitors Procedure | This chapter was amended to reflect the Care Planning, Placement and Case Review (England) Regulations, 2010 and Associated Guidance, which came into force on 1 April 2011. |
| Child Trust Fund Procedure | This chapter was amended to reflect the changes in arrangements for Child Trust Funds. |
| Direct Payments Procedure | This chapter has been updated. |
| Transition Planning: A Strategy for Disabled Young People – Moving from Childhood into Adulthood in Dudley Procedure | This chapter has been updated. |
| Developing Positive Relationships | This chapter was amended in October 2011 to reflect the Children’s Homes (Amendment) Regulations 2011, Fostering Services Regulations 2011, Associated Guidance and National Minimum Standards. |
| Care Plan Guidance | This chapter was amended to reflect the Care Planning, Placement and Case Review (England) Regulations 2010 and Associated Guidance, which became effective from 1 April 2011. |
| Children's Review Guidance | This chapter was amended to reflect the Care Planning, Placement and Case Review (England) Regulations 2010 and Associated Guidance, which became effective from 1 April 2011. |
| Assessing Prospective Foster Carers Guidance | This chapter was amended to reflect the Fostering Services Regulations 2011 and the National Minimum Standards for Fostering 2011, which came into force on 1 April 2011. |
| Role of Agency Advisers to Adoption Panel | This chapter was amended as a result of the Adoption Guidance and the National Minimum Standards which became effective from 1 April 2011. |
| Placement Prioritisation Criteria | This chapter was amended to reflect the Care Planning, Placement and Case Review (England) Regulations 2010 and Associated Guidance, which became effective from 1 April 2011. |
| Education of Looked After Children Guidance | This chapter was amended to reflect the Care Planning, Placement and Case Review (England) Regulations 2010 and Associated Guidance, which became effective from 1 April 2011. |
| Supervision of Foster Carers Guidance | This chapter was amended to reflect the Fostering Services Regulations 2011 and the National Minimum Standards for Fostering 2011, which came into force on 1 April 2011. |
The manual will be regularly updated. There will be a further planning meeting on 15 February 2012 and any changes should be forwarded to Kathy Jobber before that date (Kathryn.Jobber@dudley.gov.uk).
Chapters should be edited using tracked changes, as explained in the manual editing guidance.
When the manual is updated, a summary of the changes will be listed at the top of this chapter. If a Chapter has been significantly amended or is new, it will be indicated in the Contents List and at the top of the relevant Chapter.
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 'Looked After Children',
SECTIONS: Within each Service Sector e.g. 'Looked After Services', you will find a Section (group of procedures) like Placements.
CHAPTERS: Under each Section, you'll find individual Chapters/Procedures e.g. Placement with Parents.
4.2 You can search for a Chapter
If you aren't sure which service or section 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: -
| 'Child' or 'Young Person' | both these terms are used to mean any child under the age of 18 |
| 'Parent' | Includes 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. Ofsted. |
| '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 Significant Harm (Try it: click on the highlighted text). We call them 'Keywords'. Once clicked, the definitions will appear in a new window or tab, depending on your browser. You can leave it open for reference, or close it using the "close" button at the bottom.
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.
7. Compliance
7.1 Regulatory Compliance
Every effort has been taken to ensure regulatory compliance. If you discover any errors or mistakes, please alert your manager 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.
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 Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council.
10. Printing and Retaining Copies
The Manual should normally be viewed on line but can be printed, for reference only.
To print a chapter, click on the 
icon which is in the top right hand corner of the relevant procedure
Please note, the Manual will be updated regularly, so staff should avoid retaining printed versions - hard copies are only valid for 72 hours.
End