• contents
• keywords & contacts
• quick guide
• forms library
• values
• contact us
• search

Contents

1. Changes of Placement
2. Placement Endings

1. Changes of Placement

The Access to Resources Team provides centralised placement search and procurement and as such must be alerted (via the LAC Panel or Head of Service in an emergency) to any need for a child's placement to change.

Search for an appropriate resource can be a lengthy process therefore the earliest possible advice of a need for a change is expected.

Placement stability is crucial to good outcomes for children, therefore it is expected that any possible / potential disruption is addressed by the Social Worker as soon as identified. 

Measures such as increased visiting, reconvening of the Placement Planning meeting and redrafting of the Placement Plan recorded on the Placement Information Record and Agreement, consideration of additional supports through discussion with the manager of the home or Supervising Social Worker or review of contact arrangements should be considered to secure the stability of, or to extend, the placement.

If any additional support will incur an additional cost this must be formally requested using the above procedures (LAC Panel, or Head of Service in an emergency) and negotiated by Access to Resources Team.

Should the Social Worker and the line manager be of the view that a change of placement is required, authorisation for an alternative placement must be sought from the LAC Panel (or Head of Service in an emergency).

Should the change of placement mark a change of care plan the Access to Resources Team will alert the IRO for the need for an early child care review.

Where the proposed placement has an effect of disrupting the arrangements made for the child's education and training - see Education of Children Looked After and Lambeth Virtual School Procedure

2. Placement Endings

Placements end in a variety of ways. The ending should, as far as possible, be the outcome of a planned process. This may result in:

• A move to another placement
• Return to the child's family
• Return to the child's family but continuing support and advice are needed and the child may return for future periods of respite care
• Leaving the placement for independent life

The aim should be to achieve a planned ending to a placement with careful preparation and transition. Consideration should always be given to facilitating ongoing links between children and their former-carers, either through visits, telephone calls or letters.

As far as is reasonably practicable Social Workers should avoid unplanned endings, although where a child is accommodated a parent may remove the child without notice.

When a placement ends the child's Social Worker must:

• Ensure that the child, parent/s, those with parental responsibility and any others whose views had been sought prior to or during placement are notified if not involved in the plan
• Ensure that any placement has formal confirmation with the unit, foster carer or agency that the placement has ended
• Ensure the child understand the reasons and be supported with transition - including return home and independence.

As soon as a placement ends or changes, Social Workers must complete a change of report form and update the necessary information system.

The Social Worker/Team Manager must also advise the Access to Resources Team by telephone. It is important that this information is also forwarded to the Placements Finance Manager. This is essential to avoid paying for placements that are no longer in use.

Fostering Placements

The Fostering Team Administrator must forward a copy of the relevant placement feedback form to the carer, the child's Social Worker and to the child (via the child's Social Worker) at the end of each placement.

The Social Worker must ensure that the child's form and the Social Worker's form are returned to the Fostering Team Administrator.

The feedback will be considered as part of the carer's annual review and copies of the forms must be attached to the review form.

Ceasing to be Looked After

In some circumstances children and young people's legal status may change without a change of placement (e.g. discharge of a Care Order, young person reaching 18, a decision that a young person is no longer to be regarded as accommodated).

In these circumstances the Social Worker must notify the following persons in writing of the changes:

• Access to Resources
• The child (having regard to age and understanding)
• Any persons with parental responsibility
• The child's GP
• The relevant local authority where the child was placed
• The relevant education and health authorities
• The child's Independent Reviewing Officer (IRO)

In so far as is possible, the Social Worker must ensure that the child and their parents fully understand the implications of the change of status.

Discharging Children Accommodated Under S20 from Accommodation Where Placements are not Being Used

Where a child accommodated under s20 is failing to make use of a foster or residential placement, as opposed to being missing from the placement, consideration must be given to discharging the child from accommodation.

While Social Workers must address each case on its own merits, if the child has absented themselves for more than one week or absents themselves for several days over several weeks it would normally be expected that the child be discharged.

However, the child must not be discharged from accommodation until their circumstances have been thoroughly investigated and a planning meeting held. Every effort should be made to include the young person in this meeting and their attendance facilitated through the use of an advocate or other trusted adult identified by the young person.

In such circumstances the child's Social Worker must seek the agreement of their Head of Service  and give the child and their parent(s) written notice that they are to be discharged if they continue to absent themselves from the placement.

Where the child still fails to stay in the placement, they should be discharged from accommodation and written confirmation of discharge must be sent to the child and parent(s).

An assessment of the care arrangements in place for the child must be undertaken and where they are deemed to be inappropriate, a legal planning meeting should be held.

It may be that care arrangements, even if the child is now living in another local authority area, will need to be supported by

Forest through the child remaining accommodated or via a Residence or Special Guardianship Order Allowance. This will especially be the case where the child has been accommodated  for a number of years.

The Social Worker must notify the Access to Resources Team that the child has been discharged from accommodation.

End