List of Agency Decision Makers, Designated Managers and Nominated Officers

See also Delegation of Authority to Foster Carers and Residential Workers Procedure.

NOTE

Consent to life-ending withdrawal of medical support for a child will require an application to the High Court even if all relevant parties are in agreement. Legal advice must be sought as a matter of urgency.

AMENDMENT

This chapter was updated throughout in June 2023.

Designated Managers with Specified Area of Responsibility

Designated Managers with Specified Area of Responsibility Post Title and Contact Details

Agency Decision Maker (Adoption)

The Agency Decision Maker who makes decisions on all adoption matters (some of which will be made on the basis of a recommendation of the Adoption and Permanence Panel).

Post title: Deputy Director (Children Services)

Contact details: 020 8871 6916

Agency Decision Maker (Fostering)

The Agency Decision Maker who makes decisions on fostering matters (on the basis of recommendations of the Fostering and Permanence Panel).

Post title: Deputy Director (Children Services)

Contact details: 020 8871 6916

or

Post title: Head of Safeguarding

Contact details: 020 8871 7858

Designated Manager (Adoption Support)

The manager who can authorise the level of adoption support to be provided to children, adopters (including financial support) and their family or birth family members.

Post title: Head of CLA and Leaving Care

Contact details: 020 8871 6259

Designated Manager (Care Plans)

The manager who can authorise the final Care Plan to be taken before the Court within Care Proceedings.

Post title: Service Managers (in discussion with HoS)

HoS where complex planning, overseas involvement, or financial complexity.

Contact details:

Service Managers
ASH 020 8871 8944
FS Tooting Cluster 020 8871 6326
FS Roehampton 0208 871 8979
FS Battersea Cluster 07974 592 872

CLA 020 8871 6259
Adolescent 0208 8871 5395
HoS ASH 0208 871 8944
HoS Family Safeguarding 0208 871 6998
HoS CLA 0208 871 6467
HoS Adolescents 0797 194 9229

Designated Manager (Care Proceedings)

The manager who can authorise the initiating of Care Proceedings.

Post title: Deputy Director

Contact details: 020 8871 6916

Designated Manager (Change of Name)

The manager who can authorise the Change of Name of a Child Looked After.

Post title: Service Managers (in discussion with HoS)

Contact details:

Service Managers
ASH 020 8871 8944
FS Tooting Cluster 020 8871 6326
FS Roehampton 0208 871 8979
FS Battersea Cluster 07974 592 872

CLA 020 8871 6259
Adolescent 0208 8871 5395
HoS ASH 0208 871 8944
HoS Family Safeguarding 0208 871 6998
HoS CLA 0208 871 6467
HoS Adolescents 0797 194 9229

Designated Manager (Contact with Parents)

The manager who can authorise the suspension or termination of contact between a Child Looked After and his or her parents (subject to the Court's approval after 7 days for children on Emergency Protection Orders, Interim Care Orders or Care Orders).

Post title: Service Managers (in discussion with HoS)

Contact details:

Service Managers
ASH 020 8871 8944
FS Tooting Cluster 020 8871 6326
FS Roehampton 0208 871 8979
FS Battersea Cluster 07974 592 872
Adolescent 0208 8871 5395

CLA 020 8871 6259
HoS ASH 0208 871 8944
HoS Family Safeguarding 0208 871 6998
HoS CLA 0208 871 6467
Hos Adolescent 0797 194 9229

Designated Manager (Death or Serious Injury to a Child)

The senior manager who should be notified in the event of death or serious injury to a child.

Post title: Deputy Director (Children Services)

Contact details: 020 8871 6916

Designated Manager (Decision to Look After)

The manager who can authorise a child becoming Looked After.

Post title: Deputy Director (Children Services)

Contact details: 020 8871 6916

Designated Manager (Emergency Protection Orders)

The manager who can authorise an application for an Emergency Protection Order.

Post title: Deputy Director (Children Services)

Contact details: 020 8871 6916

 

Designated Manager (Emigration)

The manager who can authorise the placement of a Child Looked After outside England and Wales.

Post title: Service Managers (in discussion with HoS)

Contact details:

Service Managers
ASH 020 8871 8944
FS Tooting Cluster 020 8871 6326
FS Roehampton 0208 871 8979
FS Battersea Cluster 07974 592 872

CLA 020 8871 6259
Adolescent 0208 8871 5395
HoS ASH 0208 871 8944
HoS Family Safeguarding 0208 871 6998
HoS CLA 0208 871 6467
HoS Adolescent 0797 194 9229

Designated Manager (Exemptions and Extensions from Fostering Limit)

The manager who can authorise any exemptions from the usual fostering limit for foster carers living in the local authority area.

Post title: Head of Service CLA

Contact details: 020 8871 7547

Designated Manager (External Placements)

The manager who can authorise placements of Children Looked After with external providers of residential care or foster carers from an independent fostering agency.

Post title: Deputy Director Children's Services
HoS ASH for OOH 0208 871 8944

Contact details: 020 8871 6916

Designated Manager (Fostering and Permanence Panel Appointments)

The manager who can authorise appointments to the Central List of Fostering and Permanence Panel members

Post title: Head of CLA

Contact details: 020 8871 7547

Designated Manager (Leaving Care)

The manager who can approve a Pathway Plan.

Post title: Team Managers

Designated Manager (Notifications)

Where a Child Looked After from another local authority has been placed in the area, the manager to whom the notification should be sent.

Post title: Head of Practice amd PSW

Contact details: 020 8871 7317

Designated Manager (Passports)

The manager who can authorise a passport application for a Child Looked After.

Post title: Deputy Director (Children's Services)
Contact details: 020 8871 6916

Head of CLA and Leaving Care / Service Manager CLA
Contact details: 0208 871 6467

Designated Manager (Placement Orders)

The manager who can authorise an application for a Placement Order.

Post title: Deputy Director Children's Services

Contact details: 020 8871 6916

Designated Manager (Private Fostering)

The manager who can approve assessments of private foster carers, impose requirements on private foster carers or decide to prohibit someone from acting as a private foster carer.

Post title: Head of Children Looked After

Contact details: 020 8871 7547

Designated Manager (Secure Accommodation)

The manager who can authorise:

A placement of a Child Looked After in secure accommodation for up to 72 hours without a Secure Accommodation Order; and/or

An application for a Secure Accommodation Order; and/or

A child's continued secure placement on the recommendation of the Secure Accommodation Review Panel; and/or

Applications to renewal Secure Accommodation Orders on the recommendation of the Secure Accommodation Review Panel.

Post title: Director of Children's Services

Contact details: 020 8871 7891

Designated Manager (Special Guardianship)

The manager who can authorise Special Guardianship as the permanence plan for a Child Looked After.

Post title: Service Managers in consultation with HoS Children Looked After

Contact details: 020 8871 7547

Designated Manager (Special Guardianship Support)

The manager who can authorise the level of special guardianship support to be provided, including financial support to special guardians.

Post title: Service Manager Fostering

Contact details: 020 8871 7547

Nominated Officer (Disruption of Education)

The manager who can authorise the change of placement affecting a Child Looked After in Key Stage 4.

Post title: Deputy Director Children's Services

Contact details: 020 8871 7891

Nominated Officer (Fostering for Adoption)

The person who can authorise Fostering for Adoption.

Post title: Deputy Director Children's Services

Contact details: 020 8871 6916

Nominated Officer (Out of Area Placements)

The manager who can authorise the placement of a Child Looked After outside the area of the local authority.

Post title: Deputy Director Children's Services

Contact details: 020 8871 6916

Nominated Officer (Immediate Placement of a Child Looked After with Connected Person)

The manager who can authorise the placement of a Child Looked After with a family or friend ('Connected Person') who is not already approved as a foster carer.

Post title: HOS in discussion with Deputy Director Children's Services

Contact details: 020 8871 6916

Nominated Officer (Placement of a Child Looked After subject to Care Order or Interim Care Order with Parents)

The manager who can authorise the placement of a Child Looked After with a parent, person with Parental Responsibility or person who held a Residence Order/Child Arrangements Order specifying with whom the child was to reside immediately before the Care Order.

Post title: Deputy Director Children's Services

Contact details: 020 8871 6916

Nominated Officer (Child subject of a Care Order assessed under the Mental Health Act for whom a nearest relative is needed)

Post title: Deputy Director Children's Services in consultation with HoS for CLA

Contact details: 020 8871 6467