3.3.2 Pre Birth Assessments |
SCOPE OF THIS CHAPTER
This Chapter should be read in conjunction with Pre Birth Assessments and Conferences Procedure.
Contents
1. Introduction
When a new referral or a family previously known is received by Duty, the referral is subject to a discussion with the St. George's Hospital Team Manager.
If the mother is allocated in the CLA or ILS teams, the manager needs to contact the St. George's manager at the earliest opportunity to refer the unborn child for a separate assessment.
If a mother or their partner is a high risk to workers, the hospital team need to be alerted to this fact at the time of referral, as there are no secure office facilities at the hospital. In these situations arrangements will be made to see the family at Welbeck House or a Family Centre.
The Hospital Team will undertake pre-birth assessment work -whether the mother is registered at St. George's or in another hospital. Priority however will be given to St. George's cases if the team is unable to allocate all the referrals.
The RAS duty manager will contact the team manager at St. George's once a referral is received regarding the mother. A Common Assessment should be completed by the external referring agency. On the agreement of the St. George's manager, the case is recorded and transferred on Framework(i) as a contact to the team with any files sent to St. George's to undertake the assessment.
The team will follow the London CP procedures and if legal proceedings may be required, the RAS Service Manager will convene a legal planning meeting. If, on the advice of legal services, care proceedings are recommended, the Head of Family & Community Services will be alerted and the matter discussed with them. The Legal Planning Meeting Minutes must be completed within seven working days and sent to the Head of Service. Permission to proceed can only be made by Head of Service.
In circumstances where legal proceedings are required, it is the responsibility of the Hospital team to convene the Legal Planning Meeting and initially accommodate the baby. It is important that representatives of the CIN/CLA teams/ Family Centre are present. A Team Manager or appropriate Principal Social Worker of the receiving team or centre must attend the Legal Planning Meeting.
If the assessment is indicating that a child will require permanency then the CLA Service manager will be alerted within 48 hours of the decision and no later than the Legal Planning Meeting. If a residential or community assessment is required the case must be discussed with the Family Centre manager within 48 hours of the decision. Case responsibility must also be agreed at this point. If the CIN team hold case responsibility, they and the Family Centre must be invited to the Legal Planning Meeting and have a responsibility to attend. The minutes must be sent to the Service Managers of both Services. The case will transfer at the initial hearing.
Where an initial pre-birth Child Protection Conference is required but no legal intervention is necessary, the St. Georges team manager will alert the receiving CIN team or Family Centre manager. The transfer of the case will take place at the conference or when the hospital have discharged the baby, whichever is the latter. The CIN or Family Centre Manager of Principal Social Worker must attend the Conference.
2. Babies Relinquished for Adoption
Upon referral, the St. Georges team will work with mothers who wish to place their baby for adoption.
If this is anticipated or the referral is specific, the case needs to be discussed with the team manager at St. George's and the RAS will register and transfer the case on Framework(i) and send any files to St. George's. However it is recognised that the majority of these referrals go straight to the St. Georges team from Health or other professionals.
If the mother wishes to release the baby for adoption, the team will hold case responsibility until the first CLA review. The St. Georges team manager will notify the CLA manager and case responsibility will transfer at the initial interim proceedings if child is subject to an order or if not at the first review.
See detailed procedure: Babies Relinquished for Adoption Procedure.
3. CLA Cases
The St. Georges team will follow the same procedure as outlined in the following procedure:
Children's Specialist Services Case Transfers Protocol.
These are likely to be as a result of child protection concerns and transfer will be at the initial hearing, if the child is subject to legal proceedings, or if not, at the first review.
End