Contents


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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. Case Management and Recording
  3. Children in Particular Circumstances
  4. Looked After Children
  5. Fostering and Adoption
  6. Contacts, List of Agency Decision Makers and Appendices


1. All Children

Caption: section 1 of contents
   

1.1

Policy, Values and Principles

  
1.1.1 Children's Services Policies, Values and Principles Updated
1.1.2 Children's Consultation and Participation  
1.1.3 Equality and Diversity  


 

1.2

Early Help and Thresholds for Children's Social Care Services

  
1.2.1 Early Help Procedures  
1.2.2 Threshold Document - Continuum of Help and Support  
1.2.3 Family Networks and Family Group Decision Making New
1.2.4 Capacity and Consent  
  See also: Early Intervention: Policy and Provision (House of Commons Library)  


 

1.3

Children's Social Care - Assessment and Planning

  
1.3.1 Contacts and Referrals Updated
1.3.2 Assessments Updated
1.3.3 Child Protection Enquiries (Section 47) Updated
  See also: Devon Children and Families Partnership Procedures  


 

1.4

Child in Need

  
1.4.1 Child in Need Plans and Reviews  


 

1.5

Legal Proceedings

  
1.5.1 Applications for Emergency Protection Orders  
1.5.2 Care and Supervision Proceedings and the Public Law Outline Updated
1.5.3 Legal Planning Meetings  
1.5.4 Disclosure of Information between Family and Criminal Agencies and Jurisdictions: 2024 Protocol  
  See also: Cross-border Child Protection Cases: The 1996 Hague Convention  
  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.  
1.5.5 Section 7 and 37 Reports  


 

1.6

Complaints and Whistleblowing

  
1.6.1 Complaints and Representations  
1.6.2 Whistleblowing - tasks and guides (devon.gov.uk)  


 

1.7

Notifications

  
1.7.1 Death or Serious Injury to a Child (Looked After, Child in Need or Care Leaver Up to and Including the Age of 24) Updated


2. Case Management and Recording

Caption: section 2 of contents
   
2.1 Recording Policy and Guidelines  
2.2 Case Records and Retention  
2.3 Access to Records / Subject Access Requests  
2.4 Confidentiality Policy  
2.5 Electronic Recording of Meetings and Conversations  
2.6 Use of Social Media Sites by Social Care and Safeguarding Staff  
2.7 Storage of Data on Mobile Devices  


3. Children in Particular Circumstances

Caption: section 3 of contents
   

3.1

Children with Disabilities and Complex Health Needs

  
3.1.1 Children and Young People Aged 0-25 with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Updated
3.1.2 Direct Payments Updated
3.1.3 Short Breaks  
3.1.4 Placing and Visiting Children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities or Health Conditions in Long-Term Residential Settings Updated
3.1.5 Children and Young People’s Continuing Care National Framework New


 

3.2

Deprivation of Liberty and Mental Capacity

  
3.2.1 Deprivation of Liberty  
3.2.2 Mental Capacity  
3.2.3 Aftercare Under Section 117 of the Mental Care Act 1983 Updated


 

3.3

Children from Abroad

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


 

3.4

Homelessness

  
3.4.1 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  


 

3.5

Family and Friends Care

  
3.5.1 Kinship Care Updated
  See also: Friends and Families of Special Children  
3.5.2 Private Fostering  


 

3.6

Young Carers

  
3.6.1 Young Carers  


 

3.7

Relinquished Children

  
3.7.1 Relinquished Children  


4. Looked After Children

Caption: section 4 of contents
   

4.1

Decision to Look After and Care Planning

  
4.1.1 Local Authority's Sufficiency Duty - Accommodation for Looked After Children  
4.1.2 Decision to Look After  
4.1.3 Care Planning  
4.1.4 Ceasing to Look After a Child  
4.1.5 Permanence Planning Guidance  
  See also: Early Permanence: Fostering for Adoption, Concurrent Planning and Temporary Approval as Foster Carers of Approved Prospective Adopters  
4.1.6 Placement Planning and Disruption Meetings  
4.1.7 Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority Claims for Looked After Children  
4.1.8 Risk Assessment and Planning  
4.1.9 Providing Personalised Care  
  See also: NICE Guideline: Looked After Children and Young People  


 

4.2

Placements

  
4.2.1 Placements with Parents Updated
4.2.2 Placements with Connected Persons Updated
4.2.3 Placements in Foster Care  
4.2.4 Placements in Residential Care  
4.2.5 Placements in Secure Accommodation on Welfare Grounds Updated
4.2.6 Out of Area Placements  
4.2.7 Placements Outside England and Wales  
4.2.8 Placements in Other Arrangements  
4.2.9 Remands to Local Authority Accommodation or to Youth Detention Accommodation  
4.2.10 Notifications from Other Local Authorities/Placement Providers  
4.2.11 Delegation of Authority to Foster Carers and Residential Workers  
4.2.12 Health and Safety  
  See also: Looked After Children and Young People in Contact with Youth Justice Services  


 

4.3

Monitoring and Reviews

  
4.3.1 Social Worker Visits to Looked After Children  
4.3.2 Advocacy and Independent Visitors  
4.3.3 Looked After Reviews  
4.3.4 Appointment and Role of Independent Reviewing Officers  
4.3.5 Secure Accommodation (Criteria) Reviews  
4.3.6 Notifications of Significant Events Updated


 

4.4

Contact and Overnight Stays

  
  See also: Delegation of Authority to Foster Carers and Residential Workers  
4.4.1 Contact with Parents/Adults and Siblings  
4.4.2 Social Visits (Including Overnight Stays)  


 

4.5

Education, School Trips and Holidays

  
  See also: Delegation of Authority to Foster Carers and Residential Workers  
4.5.1 Supporting the Education and Promoting the Achievement of Children with a Social Worker, Looked After and Previously Looked After Children Updated
4.5.2 Holidays and School Trips In and Outside the UK  
4.5.3 Leisure Activities  


 

4.6

Health and Wellbeing

  
4.6.1 Health Care Assessments and Plans  
4.6.2 Personal Care and Relationships  
4.6.3 Positive Relationships and Behaviour Management  
4.6.4 Restrictive Physical Intervention and Restraint  


 

4.7

Change of Name and Marriage

  
4.7.1 Change of Name of a Looked After Child  
4.7.2 Marriage of a Looked After Child  


 

4.8

Leaving Care and Transition

  
4.8.1 Leaving Care and Transition  
4.8.2 Staying Put Updated
4.8.3 Devon's Local Offer to Care Leavers - Children In Care and Care Leavers - Children In Care and Care Leavers  
  See also: Responsibilities of the Local Authority to Former Looked After Children and Young People in Custody  


 

4.9

Children Involved in the Youth Justice System

  
  See also: Youth Justice Board National Standards and Case Management Guidelines  
  and YJB and Probation Joint National Protocol for Transitions in England  
4.9.1 Looked After Children and Young People in Contact with Youth Justice Services  
4.9.2 Responsibilities of the Local Authority to Former Looked After Children and Young People in Custody  
4.9.3 Children Involved in the Youth Justice System: Additional National Guidance Updated
  See also: Remands to Local Authority Accommodation or to Youth Detention Accommodation  


5. Fostering and Adoption

Caption: section 5 of contents
   

5.1

Fostering Services

  
5.1.1 Fostering Panel  
5.1.2 Persons Disqualified from Fostering  
5.1.3 Assessment and Approvals of Foster Carers Updated
5.1.4 Exemptions and Extensions/Variations to Foster Carer Approval  
5.1.5 Supervision and Support of Foster Carers  
5.1.6 Review and Termination of Approval of Foster Carers  
5.1.7 Allegations Against Foster Carers  
5.1.8 Training and Development of Foster Carers  
  See also: Early Permanence: Fostering for Adoption, Concurrent Planning and Temporary Approval as Foster Carers of Approved Prospective Adopters  


 

5.2

Adoption and Permanence Services

  
  Adoption teams from Plymouth, Torbay, Somerset and Devon launched as Adopt South West, on 1 October 2018. This move, in response to a Government initiative, brings together the experience of the four local authority adoption teams into one regional adoption agency, led by Kath Drescher, with the aim of quicker matching for children and improved support for adoptive parents across the region. Our website is www.adoptsouthwest.org.uk. For further information contact Mark Berry, Operations Manager for Adoption Support (mark.berry@devon.gov.uk), or Alison Gwilliam, Operations Manager for Assessment and Family Finding (alison.gwilliam@devon.gov.uk).  
5.2.1 Recruitment, Assessment and Approvals of Prospective Adopters Updated
5.2.2 Adoption Panel  
5.2.3 Placement for Adoption  
5.2.4 Adoption Support  
5.2.5 Monitoring and Supervision of Adoptive Placements  
5.2.6 Adoption Reviews  
5.2.7 Disruption of Adoptive Placements  
5.2.8 Allegations Against Prospective Adopters and in Relation to Children Placed for Adoption or Already Adopted  
5.2.9 Inter Country Adoption  
5.2.10 Non Agency Adoption  
5.2.11 Adoption Records  
5.2.12 Access to Birth Records and Adoption Records  
5.2.13 Life Story Books Guidance  
5.2.14 Later Life Letters  
5.2.15 Early Permanence: Fostering for Adoption, Concurrent Planning and Temporary Approval as Foster Carers of Approved Prospective Adopters  
  See also: Adoption Strategy: Achieving Excellence Everywhere  


 

5.3

Special Guardianship

  
5.3.1 Applications for Special Guardianship Orders Updated
5.3.2 Court Reports in Placement Order Applications and Adoption/Special Guardianship Guidance  


6. Contacts, List of Agency Decision Makers and Appendices

Caption: section 6 contents
   
6.1 Ofsted Inspection Framework  
6.2 Management Decision Makers  
6.3 Working Together to Safeguard Children  
6.4 Amendments