Policies & Procedures


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This contents list is sub divided into the following sections, each Section contains relevant Chapters/Procedures: (Click on the title to jump to the Section you require):

  1. All Children
  2. Early Help
  3. Assessment and Planning
  4. Safeguarding
  5. Court Proceedings and Legal Planning
  6. Children in Care
  7. Fostering and Adoption
  8. Children in Particular Circumstances
  9. Case Management and Recording
  10. Contacts and Appendices


1. All Children

Caption: section 1 of contents
   

1.1

Children's Services Policies, Values and Principles

  
1.1.1 Children's Services Policies, Values and Principles  
1.1.2 Children's Consultation and Participation  
1.1.3 Equality and Diversity  
1.1.4 Critical Incident/High Risk Cases Notification Guidance and Template  
1.1.5 Death or Serious Injury to a Child (in Care, and Child in Need) or Care Leaver Up to and Including the Age of 24 Updated
1.1.6 Dudley Children's Services Scheme for Delegation and Decision-Making  
1.1.7 Transfer Protocol  


 

1.2

Thresholds for Children's Services

  
1.2.1 Dudley Threshold Framework  
1.2.2 Working Together to Safeguard Children  


 

1.3

Complaints and Whistleblowing

  
1.3.1 Complaints and Representations  
1.3.2 Whistleblowing  
1.3.3 Dispute Resolution Protocol  


2. Early Help

Caption: section 2 of contents
   
2.1 Early Help Framework  


3. Assessment and Planning

Caption: section 3 of contents
   
3.1 Initial Contacts and Referrals to Dudley Children's Services Front Door  
3.2 Assessments Updated
3.3 Pre-Birth Assessments  
3.4 Child Protection Enquiries (Section 47)  
3.5 Capacity and Consent  


4. Safeguarding

Caption: section 4 of contents
   
4.1 Child in Need Plans and Reviews  
4.2 Regional Child Protection Procedures  
4.3 Family Group Conferences  


5. Court Proceedings and Legal Planning

Caption: section 5 of contents
   
5.1 Legal Gateway/Planning Meetings  
5.2 Applications for Emergency Protection Orders  
5.3 Care and Supervision Proceedings and the Public Law Outline Updated
5.4 Section 7 and Section 37 Reports  
5.5 Disclosure of Information between Family and Criminal Agencies and Jurisdictions: 2024 Protocol  
  See also: Cross-border child protection cases: the 1996 Hague Convention (DfE)  
  and Family Justice Resource Hub (ADCS) - This hosts a series of practical resources, such as templates, tools and practice guidance, which will be of interest to those working in the family justice system.  


6. Children in Care

Caption: section 6 of contents
   

6.1

Decision to Look After and Care Planning

  
6.1.1 Local Authority's Sufficiency Duty - Accommodation for Children in Care  
6.1.2 Decision to Look After  
6.1.3 Care Planning  
6.1.4 Permanence Planning Guidance  
  See also: Early Permanence: Fostering for Adoption, Concurrent Planning and Temporary Approval as Foster Carers of Approved Prospective Adopters  
6.1.5 Placement Planning and Placement Stability Meetings  
6.1.6 Placements with Parents  
6.1.7 Placements with Connected Persons  
6.1.8 Placements in Foster Care  
6.1.9 Placements in Residential Care Updated
6.1.10 Placements in Secure Accommodation Updated
6.1.11 Out of Area Placements  
6.1.12 Placements Outside England and Wales  
6.1.13 Placements in Other Arrangements  
6.1.14 Remands to Local Authority Accommodation or to Youth Detention Accommodation  
6.1.15 Notifications from Other Local Authorities/Placement Providers  
6.1.16 Delegation of Authority to Foster Carers and Residential Workers  
6.1.17 Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority Claims for Children in Care  
6.1.18 Risk Assessment and Planning  
6.1.19 Providing Personalised Care  
6.1.20 Health and Safety Updated
  See also: NICE Guideline: Looked After Children and Young People  


 

6.2

Monitoring and Reviews

  
6.2.1 Social Worker Visits to Children in Care  
6.2.2 Advocacy and Independent Visitors  
6.2.3 Child in Care Reviews  
6.2.4 Appointment and Role of Independent Reviewing Officers  
6.2.5 Ceasing to Look After a Child  
6.2.6 Secure Accommodation (Criteria) Reviews  
6.2.7 Notifications of Significant Events Updated


 

6.3

Contact and Overnight Stays

  
6.3.1 Social Visits (Including Overnight Stays)  
6.3.2 Family Time with Parents/Adults and Siblings  


 

6.4

Education, School Trips and Holidays

  
6.4.1 Supporting the Education and Promoting the Achievement of Children with a Social Worker, Looked After and Previously Looked After Children  
6.4.2 Holidays and School Trips In and Outside the UK  


 

6.5

Health and Wellbeing

  
6.5.1 Health Care Assessments and Plans  
6.5.2 Personal Care and Relationships  
6.5.3 Positive Relationships and Behaviour Management  
6.5.4 Restrictive Physical Intervention and Restraint  
6.5.5 Leisure Activities  


 

6.6

Identity

  
6.6.1 Change of Name of a Child in Care  
6.6.2 Marriage of a Child in Care/Civil Partnership  
6.6.3 Life Story Books Guidance  
6.6.4 Later Life Letters  


 

6.7

Leaving Care and Transition

  
6.7.1 Leaving Care and Transition  
6.7.2 Staying Put  


 

6.8

Children Involved in the Youth Justice System

  
  Children Involved in the Youth Justice System Additional National Guidance  
6.8.1 Children and Young People in Care in Contact with Youth Justice Services  
6.8.2 Responsibilities of the Local Authority to Former Looked After Children and Young People in Custody  
  See also: Remands to Local Authority Accommodation or to Youth Detention Accommodation  


 

6.9

Financial

  
6.9.1 Junior Individual Saving Accounts for Children in Care  
6.9.2 Direct Payments  


7. Fostering and Adoption

Caption: section 7 of contents
   

7.1

Fostering Services

  
  See Fostering in Dudley website  
7.1.1 Family and Friends Care Updated
7.1.2 Private Fostering Updated
7.1.3 Assessment and Approvals of Foster Carers  
7.1.4 Fostering Panel  
7.1.5 Exemptions and Extensions/Variations to Foster Carer Approval  
7.1.6 Supervision and Support of Foster Carers  
7.1.7 Review and Termination of Approval of Foster Carers  
7.1.8 Allegations Against Foster Carers  
7.1.9 Persons Disqualified from Fostering  


 

7.2

Adoption and Permanence Services

  
  See Adoption@Heart - Regional Adoption Agency for Dudley  
7.2.1 Recruitment, Assessment and Approvals of Prospective Adopters  
7.2.2 Adoption Panel  
7.2.3 Placement for Adoption  
7.2.4 Adoption Support  
7.2.5 Monitoring and Supervision of Adoptive Placements  
7.2.6 Adoption Reviews  
7.2.7 Instability in an Adoptive Placement  
7.2.8 Allegations Against Prospective Adopters and in Relation to Children Placed for Adoption or Already Adopted  
7.2.9 Inter Country Adoption  
7.2.10 Non Agency Adoption  
7.2.11 Adoption Case Records  
7.2.12 Access to Birth Records and Adoption Case Records  
7.2.13 Intermediary Services  
7.2.14 Early Permanence: Fostering for Adoption, Concurrent Planning and Temporary Approval as Foster Carers of Approved Prospective Adopters  
7.2.15 Applications for Special Guardianship Orders Updated
7.2.16 Court Reports in Placement Order Applications and Adoption/Special Guardianship Guidance  
7.2.17 Special Guardianship Order - No Detriment Policy  
7.2.18 Policy for Consideration of a Name Change for Children who are to be Adopted  


8. Children in Particular Circumstances

Caption: section 8 of contents
   
8.1 Short Breaks  
8.2 Prevention of Homelessness and Provision of Accommodation for 16 and 17 Year Olds who may be Homeless and/or Require Accommodation; and Duty to Refer  
8.3 Young Carers Updated
8.4 Relinquished Children  
8.5 Children Missing from Home or Care  


 

8.6

Children with Disabilities

  
8.6.1 Children and Young People Aged 0-25 with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Updated
8.6.2 Placing and Visiting Children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities or Health Conditions in Long-Term Residential Settings  


 

8.7

Children from Abroad

  
8.7.1 Unaccompanied Migrant Children and Child Victims of Trafficking and Modern Slavery  
8.7.2 Families with No Recourse to Public Funds Updated


 

8.8

Mental Health Issues

 
8.8.1 Mental Capacity  
8.8.2 Aftercare under Section 117 of the Mental Health Act 1983 Updated
8.8.3 Deprivation of Liberty  


9. Case Management and Recording

Caption: section 9 of contents
   
9.1 Recording Policy and Guidelines  
9.2 Electronic Recording of Meetings and Conversations  
9.3 Case Records and Retention  
9.4 Access to Records  
9.5 Confidentiality Policy  
9.6 Use of Social Media Sites by Social Care and Safeguarding Staff  
9.7 Storage of Data on Mobile Devices  


10. Contacts and Appendices

Caption: section 10 of contents
   
10.1 Local Contacts  
10.2 Ofsted Inspection Framework  
10.3 Amendments