3.3.9 Children Subject to a Child Protection Plan Moving into and Out of the Borough |
Contents
1. Responsibility
If housing provision is assessed as being required for a family with a child subject to a Child Protection Plan, all efforts should be made for the provision to be within the borough/county/ authority unless a move is part of the Child Protection Plan. This applies to both temporary and permanent housing provision.
The responsibility for a child subject to a Child Protection Plan remains with the Home authority until the relevant Children In Need Team in Wandsworth accept the request for a Transfer Child Protection Conference. Where the children are already living in the area the Safeguarding Standards Unit will record that the child/ren is subject to a Child Protection Plan under a ‘temporary’ category from the actual date of the move or when informed (if this is later).
Where the Home authority is some distance away, the Team Manager, CiN, must agree in writing with the first line manager responsible in the other authority, to implement the Child Protection Plan, on behalf of the Home authority, from the date of the move. This must be recorded in FWi under Managers Decision.
Any requests to transfer case responsibility to Wandsworth through the Child Protection conference process must be referred immediately to the Service Manager, Children in Need.
2. Exceptional Retention of Child Protection Responsibilities by the Home Authority
Where the Child Protection Plan specifies a move out of an authority for a defined and time limited period, the Home authority should retain case responsibility, but may require the assistance of Wandsworth to carry out the Child Protection Plan.
Examples of these circumstances are where:
- The child temporarily stays with friends or family in another authority
- A parent together with baby is provided with a time limited placement in a parent and baby unit in another authority
- A parent will be supported for a time limited period to live with a specified person - e.g. relative or friend in another authority
- Temporary accommodation
Another exception, which may justify individual arrangements, is when a family constantly moves and no one authority is able to adequately monitor the welfare of the child.
In any of the above circumstances the first line managers in both authorities must:
- Confirm in writing their agreement to case responsibility being retained by the Home authority for a specified period
Ensure that the arrangements made satisfy the requirements of the protection plan.
3. Timescale
The Transfer Child Protection Conference must be convened by the Safeguarding Standards Unit within 15 working days of being notified by the Team Manager, CiN, of an appropriate request. This is subject to sufficient written information being provided by the Home authority – see Children Moving Into Wandsworth below.
4. Child/ren Moving Out of Wandsworth
Only when a decision has been made about the need for a Child Protection Plan by the receiving authority and management responsibility has been transferred, can the child's name be removed from the record of children subject to a Child Protection Plan in Wandsworth.
4.1 Actions for the Allocated Social Worker
When the Social Worker establishes that a child subject to a Child Protection Plan is planning to move, or has moved out of the area s/he must inform all other professionals involved with the child and the Safeguarding Standards Unit.
When case responsibility is to be transferred the Social Worker must inform all agencies of the arrangements so that staff can transfer records and attend and provide information to the receiving authorities Transfer Child Protection Conference.
If the move has occurred already the Social Worker must complete this task immediately. If the move is to be within the next 14 days, the Social Worker must complete this task within 1 working day.
The Social Worker is expected to provide copies of all requested written information to the other Local Authority, including conference records, reports, core group minutes, plans and current assessments. S/he will also provide a written report for the Transfer Conference and attend where possible.
Families should be made aware that information will be shared with the receiving authority.
4.2 Informing the other Local Authority
The Social Worker should make initial contact with the Referral Team or equivalent for the area and obtain the details of the Safeguarding Standard Unit/equivalent. Both the Referral Team and SSU equivalent should then be informed in writing of the notification that a child subject to a CP Plan has moved into their area, and the request to transfer responsibility for the Plan. If there are any difficulties with this process the Social Worker must inform the Team and Service manager immediately.
4.3 Transfer of Responsibility
The Social Worker must advise the Safeguarding Standards Unit via FWi of the result of the Transfer Child Protection Conference. The SSU is responsible for removal of the child’s name from the record of Children Subject to a Child Protection Plan in Wandsworth.
5. Children Moving Into Wandsworth
The Home Authority will inform the Initial Response Team and the Safeguarding Standards Unit in writing that a child subject to a CP Plan is moving into the borough.
5.1 Action for the Duty Service
When received in writing the duty manager will enter this as a Contact on FWi, allocate this to the Team Manager for the relevant area and alert the Team manager, Service Manager – CiN and Safeguarding Standards Unit.
At this point the duty manager will ascertain if the family have no recourse to public funds and are being moved into a property in Wandsworth. If this is the case and the family are being supported by their home borough, the expectation would be that any neighbouring borough should retain responsibility, having agreed to fund the family under section 17. Negotiations need to take place with the home borough about the appropriateness of this move, as this could result in Wandsworth incurring considerable expense.
5.2 Action for Team Manager/PSW – CiN
The Team Manager/PSW should make direct contact with the responsible manager in the Home authority to discuss the information needed to make an informed decision before Wandsworth will accept the request to transfer. Please see below – although this is not a checklist and the manager has the discretion to decide when sufficient information has been received:
- Personal details of all family members – parents and all children, including names, dates of birth, gender, ethnicity, religion, first language, nationality
- Contact details in full for all family members, including telephone, email and addresses
- Personal network details – names, addresses, dates of birth and contact numbers if known
- Transfer summary – Including:
- Background history and summary of your involvement with the child/ren and family, including any support in place – particularly financial packages
- Any health and safety concerns for staff i.e. violence
- Any other details, such as mental health issues, learning difficulties, substance misuse, care history
- Details of any Court Orders – current or expired
- Details of an siblings no longer in the household and their legal status
- The reason why the family are moving to Wandsworth/ date of move/ whether permanent or temporary
- Any previous addresses
- The name of the Housing Department/ Housing Association/ Private Landlord responsible for the tenancy – with written confirmation
- The name/s of the person/s on the tenancy
- Up to date Child and Family Assessment on all children
- Up to date Chronology
- Copy of Initial and most recent Child Protection Reports and Minutes
- Record of most recent Core Group
- Up to date and detailed Care Plan for all children
- List and details of professional network/agencies
- The family has been told that information will be shared with Wandsworth
If these requirements are not met, Wandsworth, as the receiving authority will not be able to accept the transfer of case responsibility.
If the transfer request is subsequently accepted the Team Manager/PSW is expected to attend the Transfer Conference.
During the interim period the Home Authority retains responsibility for the Child and Plan and should notify the CiN Team Manager of any factors/changes that may affect the Protection plan. These should be brought to the attention of the Service Manager – CiN and the Safeguarding Standards Unit.
5.3 Action for CiN Social Worker
When the request has been accepted and the Safeguarding Standards Unit have provided a date and venue for the transfer conference, the Social Worker should invite the Home authority allocated Social Worker to the conference and request in writing that they provide a full written report 48 hours prior to the conference. If these requirements are not met, Wandsworth, as the receiving authority will not be able to accept the transfer of case responsibility.
The CiN allocated social should also attend the Transfer Conference with their Team Manager/PSW.
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