3.4.1 Children in Need |
SCOPE OF THIS CHAPTER
This Chapter summarises the procedures for completing and reviewing Children in Need Plans.
It should be read in conjunction with Integrated Children's System (ICS) Overview Procedure and Team Around the Child Procedure. The chapter was substantially updated in September 2010 and the whole chapter should therefore be read.
Contents
1. Children in Need
1.1 Legal Framework - Definition: Section 17 (10), Children Act 1989
If a child's identified needs require services provided either by Children's Social Care Services or other services, an initial Child in Need Plan should be formulated, involving other professionals as appropriate.
1.2 Principles
- To provide a quality and responsive service that focuses on outcomes;
- To provide a service to children and families that is compliant with legislation and regulatory requirements;
- For all Children in Need a process of assessment, planning, intervention and review must be in place;
- Both parents, any other carers and the partners of the parents must be included in any assessment;
- When a Child in Need is identified in a family, this child becomes the subject child; all children in the household must be seen as part of the assessment framework - ‘family and environmental factors – wider family’ and the relationships between siblings assessed. If during this assessment one or any other sibling is identified as a child in need then each of these children should have a separate file. For any siblings that are not deemed CIN they do not require an open file. This principle also applies for children with disabilities;
- There must be a separate file for every child who is deemed to be CIN.
1.3 When a Child in Need Plan May be Required
A Child in Need Plan may be required following a:
- Referral and a Child and Family Assessment;
- Strategy Discussion;
- Section 47 Enquiry;
- Initial Child Protection Conference when it is decided not to make the child/ren subject to a Child Protection Plan;
- Child Protection Review Conference when it is decided to discontinue the Child Protection Plan.
The assessment should indicate whether the multi agency professionals are aware and informed of their responsibilities and if there is no further role for Children's Specialist Services the case can be closed. At the conclusion of a Child and Family Assessment, all agencies involved with the child must be informed of the outcome.
2. Children in Need Plans
For children identified as having complex needs but who are not Looked After, a Child's Plan should be developed and reviewed involving other professionals, the child and the family network where appropriate. All parties including the child or young person, if appropriate should sign the completed plan and be provided with a copy.
2.1 Seeing and Speaking to the Child
The Plan must identify how often the child or young person will be seen and by who. Children in need should be seen at least every 6 weeks by the allocated social worker although this does not necessarily have to be in the home on every occasion. The child’s home should be seen every 3 months as a minimum standard.
2.2 Child’s Plan
The Child's Plan identifies:
- Developmental needs of the child or young person;
- Attributes which impact on parents and carers capacity to respond to the needs of the child or young person, drawing on their strengths and areas of competence whilst recognising difficulties;
- Wider family and environmental factors which may have an impact on the child or young person and family, drawing on strengths in the wider family and community as well as identifying difficulties;
The Child's Plan must agree, for example:
- What specific, measurable and realistic actions are to be taken to meet the needs of the child?
- What services or resources may be needed?
- Who is responsible for undertaking, organising, facilitating the actions?
- When the action will be completed.
2.3 Timescale for Initial Team Around the Child Meeting (TAC)
Please read in conjunction with more detailed Team Around the Child Procedure.
The Initial TAC meeting should be used to confirm and add to the the Child’s Plan and should be held within 20 working days of the transfer to a Children in Need Team.
Actions for Social Worker
Convene the TAC meetings.
Record the TAC discussion on FWi.
Develop and co-ordinate the Child’s Plan and ensure it is recorded on FWi.
2.4 Action for Team Manager/Principal Social Worker
Agree and review the Child’s plan in supervision.
Record any agreed actions or decisions on FWi.
Completing the Child's Plan (Guidance)Aims The plan should have a clear overall aim. Actions and Services The actions and services should be recorded under Child’s Needs, Parenting Capacity and Wider Family and Environment. The plans should include actions to be provided by the family members and the child where appropriate. Any actions or services to be provided by another agency or organisation should be discussed and agreed before it is included in the Child's Plan. Any service that requires resources from the Local Authority should be discussed in detail with line managers, to ensure that it is appropriate and available. |
3. Children Previously subject of Child Protection Plans
Where the decision is taken that children and young people are no longer subject of Child Protection Plans they will be managed as Children in Need for a minimum of 3 months from that date. This means that the same processes and requirements for TAC meetings and review of plan will be applied.
However, the child/young person’s case cannot be closed without a TAC meeting chaired by a Team Manager/PSW or CSW.
4. Reviewing the Child’s Plan with the Team Around the Child
The Child's Plan should be a fluid-working document that adapts as the needs of the child are identified, met or change. As with all plans within the Integrated Children System, the Child's Plan should be reviewed.
4.1 Review Timescales
A Plan for a Child in Need should be formally reviewed by the Team Around the Child, lead by the allocated social worker at least every 3 months at the TAC meetings. Every 6 months a Principal or Consultant Social Worker should chair the Team Around the Child Meeting to formally review the child’s plan and to consider what changes should be made to the Child’s Plan, if there are concerns regarding significant harm, if a Child’s Plan is still required or needs can be met by targeted or universal services and the case can be closed (Step Down).
4.2 Review Process
The Review held at the TAC meeting should evaluate the extent to which the Child's Plan is meeting the needs of the child or young person and measure actual against planned outcomes and update the Plan accordingly. The child/young person’s developmental progress, identification of unmet need and impact of service provision should also be reviewed.
The plan may also be reviewed in supervision and case discussion with line managers.
4.3 Updating the Child’s Plan
Social work and other professional interventions since assessment or last review (for example details of when the child or young person has been seen) and any changes from intervention and progress should be recorded in the TAC episode on FWi.
The process of the review should also be recorded, for example how the young person was involved in the process.
4.4 Action for Social Worker
Review and update the Child’s Plan at least every 3 months on FWi.
4.5 Action for the Team Manager/ Principal Social Worker
Chair a Review Team Around the Child Meeting at least every 6 months.
Review the Child’s Plan with the Social Worker in supervision and case discussion.
5. Case Closure
Children in need cases will be closed when the:
- Assessed needs of the child have broadly been met; or
- Family are judged to be successfully working towards meeting the child's needs with or without support from other agencies; or
- If parents, child and/or young person do not utilise recommended interventions or social work support & case does not warrant further safeguarding concerns. The view of the TAC will be taken into consideration and any decision to close will be evidenced against the London Continuum of Need;
- Child or family move out of the area.
The reason for closure, and the child and parents views about closure must be recorded, and all relevant agencies informed. Closure should be agreed with all professionals concerned. At the conclusion of the assessment, all agencies involved with the child must be informed of the outcome.
End